Unified Theory
by Bouncing Soul
Summary: HP/Iron Man Harry leaves the wizarding world to take care of his godson Teddy. What happens when he decides to prank them, reshaping the world in the process? What happens when they decide to fight back?
1. Prologue: Not This Time

**A/N: First part here based off of the end of DH, so forgive the copied dialogue, I didn't write it, it was Rowling.**

**Unified Theory**

**Prologue: Not This Time**

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy," Harry stared down Voldemort in the Great Hall.

"What does it matter?" Voldemort taunted his enemy. "You no longer have the phoenix core wand, we duel on skill alone, I can attend to Draco later…" he was interrupted by Harry.

"You're too late, I already took Draco's wand," he smiled at the piece of wood in his hand. "The question is, does the Elder Wand recognize I disarmed its master, because if it does, it means I am the true master of the Elder Wand," Harry locked eyes with Voldemort.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The who men shot their spells at each other, the spells whizzed by each other in midair, not connecting, but continuing on, both striking their targets square in the chest.

"No!" the cry came from the crowd as Harry fell to the ground and Voldemort's wand sailed through the air, clattering to the floor beside Harry.

"The Boy Who Lived, is no more!" Voldemort laughed maniacally, glaring at the crowd of gathered wizards. "Bow to your new master!" he glared at the crowd that was staring past him at Harry.

Harry's body jerked as he coughed, pulling himself to a knee. "That's interesting," he frowned, looking down at where the killing curse had burned away his shirt and robes, leaving a scar the size of a fist.

"Why won't you die!?" Voldemort shouted at him as Harry picked up the Elder Wand, getting fully to his feet.

"Cause I'm the hero Tom," Harry shook off his disbelief at being alive. "Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are about this," he shrugged. "Avada Kedavra!" Harry shouted, sending the familiar green spell at his enemy.

**

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**

"Hey there Teddy," Harry smiled as he pulled the small boy into his arms. "You're getting bigger," Harry smiled as the boy giggled in his arms, changing his hair to match Harry's. "Oh, you like my hair?" Harry laughed at his godson.

"Are you sure you'll be okay Harry?" Andromeda Tonks asked, eyeing the refurbished Grimmauld Place carefully. "I don't want to be a burden on you or anything, but sometimes I just need a break from him," she smiled at her grandson in the young man's arms.

"We'll be fine Andy," Harry smiled, kissing the child on the head. "I don't go out much anymore, not since I broke up with Ginny," he spoke of his ex-girlfriend who he had broken up with again, a couple months after the defeat of Voldemort when she seemed obsessed with getting married and settling down. "This little guy won't cause me any trouble, will you?" he chuckled as Teddy grabbed him by the nose.

"You're not going to try to patch things up with her? Nymphadora and Remus always spoke like the two of you were meant for each other," the older witch sighed, headed to the door as Harry escorted her.

"She was obsessed with Harry the hero, not the real me," Harry grinned weakly. "I'm good as is Andy, don't worry, we'll be fine, now scoot," Harry laughed, pushing her out the door, closing it behind her. "Won't we Teddy?" Harry twirled around with the boy, both of them laughing.

Harry was feeding Teddy in the kitchen later that night when someone knocked at the door. Harry didn't bother getting up as he saw the house elf Kreacher going to answer the door. He didn't particularly like having the elf around, and was planning on moving out of the house eventually. It has been six months since the death of Voldemort, and Harry was growing depressed by the house. "What do you think Teddy, think I should find a new house?" he asked the boy who threw some of his dinner at Harry. "I'll take that as a yes," Harry smiled as he wiped the baby food from his glasses.

"Master, Arthur Weasley is here to see you," Kreacher bowed before backing away.

"Arthur, I really do not want to talk about Ginny any more, I've had everyone from Bill and Fleur to Ron and Hermione here talking to me about her," Harry sighed, cleaning his glasses on his shirt, watching the blur of Mr. Weasley move into the room. "Arthur…?" Harry frowned as he placed his glasses back over his eyes, noticing a pale look on the man.

"There's been an accident Harry, Andromeda was driving back to her home and…" Harry zoned out as Arthur explained things to him, concentrating everything on keeping back the tears as he fed his godson.

**

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**

"And may I present, newly elected Minister of Magic, Lucius Malfoy!" the crowd clapped in the crowded lobby of the Ministry.

"Thank you, thank you," the man beamed at the crowd. "I am honored to be elected to this position and will endeavor to do everything in my power that dangerous half breeds will never endanger our society again," Lucius began to rant about Voldemort's history as a half blood, and the danger of werewolves, vampires, giants, and the like.

"Sonorus!" a voice came over the crowd. The crowd turned away from the Minister to look at the voice. "One year since Voldemort was defeated, one year and you lot have the intelligence to do this," Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived addressed the crowd. "He was one of strongest of Voldemort's supporters and you fools let him play on your fears of another wizarding war to get him elected," Harry glared at the crowd.

"Mr. Potter, stop this disturbance immediately," Lucius responded from across the lobby.

"Sorry, I don't take orders from Death Eaters," Harry spat on the ground and pushed his way towards the exit. "Mark my words, you will all regret this, and I won't be back to save you again," he directed at the crowd before Apparating away loudly.

**

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**

"Padfoot, tell Teddy to get finish getting ready please," Harry said out loud as he finished putting the finishing touches on his expensive suit.

"Coming!" he heard the boy yell from his room.

Chuckling to himself, Harry made sure he had the Elder Wand holstered as the glowing blue ghost of Sirius Black stuck his head down through the ceiling. "He playing with his hair again Pads?" Harry asked, brushing some lint from his shoulder.

"For some reason he wanted to look like you, no accounting for taste, kids these days," Sirius laughed as he floated down to stand beside Harry, inspecting the suit. "Not bad, I'll make you a chick magnet yet," he whistled.

"Thanks Sirius," Harry laughed, running his hand over his trim goatee and mustache, having given up on taming his hair long ago.

"You sure you're ready to do this Harry? There's no backing out if we do this," Sirius examined the man before him.

"Yeah, I am Sirius," Harry smiled genuinely. "There you are Teddy," Harry smiled as the boy ran into the room, his hair matching Harry's, sans the goatee. "Nice hair," Harry commented, messing up the boy's hair.

"Don't Harry!" the boy slapped his hand away. "I worked hard to get it right," Teddy pouted as the hair moved back how he had it on its own accord.

"You'll do fine Teddy," Harry smiled at his godson, dressed in a suit like Harry's. "Well then Marauders, ready to prank the world?" Harry smiled as he activated the portkey, transporting the boy, man, and ghost out of the house.


	2. Chapter 1: Unified Theory 101

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 1: Unified Theory 101**

Ron Weasley smiled as he entered the house in Muggle London that he shared with his wife Hermione. He smelled lunch as he crossed the threshold, ecstatic that while Hermione was on maternity leave with their first child Rose, he could come home for lunch instead of having to eat at the Chudley Cannons training facility with the rest of the team. "Hermione, I'm home," he said loudly as he entered the kitchen.

"Shhh, she's sleeping," Hermione whispered at him as she pointed to the living room where Rose was sleeping in a crib. "Dig in," she relaxed in her chair, listening to the Wizarding Wireless Network on the radio.

"You look tired," Ron pointed out as he attacked a sandwich. "Rose being picky today?" he asked as his wife glared at him. "Right then, shutting up," Ron blushed, eating in silence.

"She was fussy all morning, I just got her to take her nap, if you wake her up, I will hurt you," she glared at Ron, taking a sandwich for herself. She frowned as the radio changed to static, setting down her food to go fiddle with the device. "Work you bloody machine," she played with the knobs for a second before the static stopped, replaced by silence.

"Did you break it?" Ron asked.

"No, it's broadcasting, but all that is coming over it is silence," Hermione frowned as she examined it with her wand.

**

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**

"What wrong with it?" Lee Jordan's supervisor asked him.

"I don't know, you can see all the connections are working right," Lee pointed out to his boss who never worked a WWN machine in his life. "See here, this is the signal that should be being broadcast," he pointed at a fluctuating pulse of energy on the screen in front of him. "It's being broadcast correctly on our end, something out there is jamming it," Lee explained to his boss, a recent graduate from Hogwarts' Slytherin house.

"Well something is obviously wrong, bloody Gryffindor," he snarled at Lee. "Take the system offline then restart it," he ordered Lee.

"It will take us hours to get it back up again, we should find what is jamming it first," Lee protested.

"I don't care what you think, I am your superior, now shut it down," he looked down on the older man.

"Fine, have it your way, bloody wanker," he added under his breath and began the shutdown sequence for the WWN.

**

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**

"Nott, if your cousin cannot do his job right, I will have no choice but to give the job to Mr. Jordan," Lucius frowned at Theodore Nott and the silence in the upscale wizarding restaurant. He was out having lunch with his son Draco and Theo Nott, both who held assistant department head positions in the Ministry.

"I am sure Stephan will be handle the situation," Nott frowned. "I pressed the importance of his appointment over the mudblood supporter, he will not let us down," Nott started at the small radio embedded into each table. "There," he let out a nervous breath as music resumed, playing the Hogwarts School song.

"Interesting choice of music," Draco laughed at Nott's discomfort before his eyes grew wide at the sound coming out of the radio.

**

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**

_Hello everyone, my name is Harry James Potter and I have a story to tell you. Don't bother to change the station, I have hacked the satellites, jammed the radios, and the Wizarding Wireless Network will take close to two hours to be operational again and jam my signal. So now that I have a captive audience, allow me to tell you a little about myself._

**

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**

"Oh my god," Hermione's jaw dropped as she heard Harry talk.

"Hermione, what's a satellite?" he asked as she dashed out of the kitchen to the room where Rose was sleeping, grabbing a remote control off the coffee table. "Hermione?" he chased after her as he saw her turn on the television. "Why's Harry on the television?" he frowned as Rose woke up hearing his voice.

**

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**

_Like I said, some of you know me, but most of you don't, so I'll give you a brief rundown of my life. I was born in 1980 and sent to live with my relatives Vernon and Petunia Dursley after my parents were murdered by Tom Riddle Jr. on Halloween in 1981. Life there was hell, they beat, starved, and abused me all my life when I was under their roof, Number 4, Privet Drive, Surrey, if you want to go have a chat with them. When I was eleven, I was given a letter and a told my parents had paid for me to go to a private school in Scotland…_

_**

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**_

"…school in Scotland, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Harry smiled through the television set. He was standing behind a podium, with a laptop computer open in front of him and a large projection screen set up behind him, displaying a logo with the letters U and T.

"Hermione, when did the WWN start doing a television station too?" Ron asked as he played with their daughter Rose.

"They didn't Ron, he's on every channel…" she gasped as she flipped through the channels on the TV, all of them showing the same thing.

"I graduated from Hogwarts in 1998," a small section of the television screen displayed the diploma he received from McGonagall following the final battle. "Afterwards I retired from the public life to continue my life and care for my godson Teddy, say hi," he turned around waving his hand as the boy came forward. "Say hi," Harry smiled at the boy whose hair rapidly turned red as he blushed.

"Hi Aunt Hermione, hi Uncle Ron!" the boy waved before hiding behind Harry again.

"Bloody hell Hermione, what is Harry doing?" Ron frowned. "The Obliviators are going to have to work overtime for this prank," he stopped when Hermione stared an angry hole in his head. "What?"

"Ron, he's on every television station, he's probably broadcasting to a billion Muggles right now," she explained to her shocked husband.

**

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**

_After graduation from Hogwarts, I worked on my higher education more seriously. In 2001 I received Bachelor Degrees from various institutions for a number of disciplines, following with my Masteries that I completed a couple months ago. I now hold Mastery level degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics, Biology, Chemistry, Nuclear Science, Computer Science and Programming, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, Spellcrafting, Arithmancy, Astronomy, and of course, Care of Magical Creatures._

**

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**

"What is Potty going on about now, he hasn't been in England for years?" Draco frowned as he tried to ignore Harry's voice.

"It does not matter, once he is found we will throw him in Azkaban for disrupting the WWN, that ought to teach him some manners," Lucius laughed. His laughter stopped when he saw his aide, Draco's wife Astoria headed toward them frantically.

"What's wrong dear?" Draco asked his wife.

"Haven't you been listening?" she gasped, out of breath.

"What? Potty went and hijacked the WWN, we were thinking of the best way to punish him when he is found," Draco laughed before his wife slapped him. "What the bloody hell was that for?" he rubbed his face.

"He's not just on the WWN, he's on every radio and television station!" she explained loudly.

**

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**

_For those of you that are confused about some things I have said so far, allow me to put it simply. There's a magical world, and there's a non-magical world, which we wizards commonly call the Muggle world. Yeah, wizards, witches, wands, they're all real. And they are not going to be very happy with me after this broadcast._

**

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**

"The Statute of Secrecy… is he out of his mind?" Ron asked as he sat entranced by the TV as Harry explained how the wizarding world had hidden itself from the Muggles in great detail.

"Oh my god, he didn't…" she frowned as something clicked in her head. "Accio book!" she waved her wand, summoning a book from the shelves. She opened it carefully, glancing at the inside cover before slamming it shut angrily. "I am going to kill him," she frowned, gripping the book tightly.

"What's the matter? That's the book you published last year, isn't it?" he frowned noticing Hermione's murderous gaze on the TV. She had been working on a revised history of the magical world after being contacted by a book company three years ago and had finished and published it when she was midway through her pregnancy with Rose. Surprisingly the book's sales had been off the charts, unheard of for nothing but a revised, but unbiased, history.

"Marauder International, Publishing Division," her nostrils flared with anger.

**

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**

_I know it's a bit much to take in, but if you will just give me one moment. There we go, a copy of the magical history of the world for everyone._

**

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**

Ron and Hermione were startled as a copy of the book appeared on the top of their TV set. "How the bloody hell did he do that?" Ron swore as he went and examined the book.

"He somehow rigged portkeys to transport the books to anyone listening to the signal, go check the WWN box," she ordered as she took the book from him, opening it to see some familiar handwriting inside.

"Yeah, one popped in by the radio too," Ron shouted from the other room, stopping to get a bottle for Rose.

"Hermione. Sorry for not telling you about my plans with the book and all, but I figured you'd try to talk me out of it. Don't worry, I have a plan. Harry," she read the script to Ron when he came back.

"Oh, he has a plan, it better be a good one, because Malfoy is going to have his head after all this," Ron laughed. "When did he get the time to get all those degrees when raising Teddy anyway? I mean, he was smart, but not that smart," Ron asked as Harry explained what portkeys were and about the book to his audience.

"There's no way he could have, there's not enough time to get that many degrees," she furrowed her brow. "They never would have given him one…" she frowned as she thought something over in her head, studying Harry's face on the TV. "He built a Time-Turner…" she gasped.

**

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**

"Stephan, I want that broadcast shut down now immediately, and find where he's broadcasting from," Lee heard Theo Nott's voice come over the Floo, yelling at his cousin.

"We're working on it sir," Stephan began to sweat as turned from the Floo to yell at his assistant. "I thought I told you to shut it down Jordan," he glared at the back of the head of dreadlocks.

"If you weren't such a bloody moron and knew how the system worked, you would know it is shut down," Lee laughed as he heard Harry coming over the radio built into the control console. "This console emits a jamming wave on Muggle radios so that only specialized wizarding radios can pick up the WWN signal, if it was working, I could stop the signal, that's what the silence was earlier, it was console here being frozen with Harry's signal," Lee explained.

"Then turn it back on and stop him," his boss said through gritted teeth.

"Weren't you listening to what I said earlier you wanker?" Lee snorted, turning in his chair to face his boss. "I told you it would take hours to get back up and we should have searched for the other signal first before shutting it down," Lee got up from his chair and stretched. "It will take me an hour and a half, minimum to get it back up and running," Lee grinned. "Better you cry to cousin Theo how you screwed up, cause I sure as hell am not taking the blame for this, I quit," he flipped the Syltherin off before leaving the WWN control room.

**

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**

_Now, back to business, we have a magical world and a Muggle world living side by side, but the magical side hiding from the Muggle side due to archaic laws regarding an International Statue of Secrecy in 1692 to help deal with persecution of the wizarding world by the Muggle world. That was over three hundred years ago, I think it is time for a change, whether the wizarding world is ready for it or not._

**

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**

"Ah, it appears my guests of honor have arrived, I had best be quick," Harry smiled as the split screen showed a group of wizards outside #12 Grimmauld Place, sending spells at an opaque shield surrounding the building. "As you can see, the Minister of Magic, Lucius Malfoy," the second screen zoomed in on the furious man who was screaming obscenities to the Aurors as they tried to break down the shield. "He has found where my signal was originating from," Harry winked at the camera.

"I thought he moved out of number twelve?" Ron frowned.

"He did, he's tricking them," Hermione smirked at the image of the angry Minister.

"Funny thing about the Minister, he supported the last wizarding Dark Lord, killing, raping, pillaging in his name, but got off because he claimed he was under the Imperius, mind control, curse," Harry frowned at the camera. "And he ran his election campaigns based on fear of anyone who was not of pure wizarding descent," Harry rolled his eyes. "The wizarding world is not that bright and elected him in wide majority," Harry snorted.

"Now, on to business," Harry grinned as the camera panned out, revealing an odd looking machine next to him on the stage. "Through some extensive tests and studies, I have made some discoveries, in regards to the nature of magic, and am presenting it to you, the world, as my Unified Theory," he pressed a button as small binder of papers appeared on the top of their TV.

"Accio," Hermione ordered, opening it and scanning the pages rapidly. "Oh my god," Hermione's eyes grew wide as she kept reading and Ron held Rose, watching Harry carefully.

**

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**

_Magic, simply put, is not magic. What people define as wizardry is caused by a specific sequence of genes in the 37__th__ sector of the human genome. You either have no magic and are a Muggle, can see certain magics, but cannot use and are a Squib, or are a witch or wizard of some degree of power. What the changes in the genetic structure allow is the harnessing of magical energy and channeling it through a wand, or other such medium._

_I analyzed the radiation, energy waves, every aspect of magic as it was taught to me, with Muggle scientific devices._

**

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**

"Magical energy," Harry used quotation marks with his fingers. "Magical energy is just another form of ambient energy found in nature that those with the wizarding genetic markers learned how to use," he shrugged as he gestured at his machine. "The real trick was figuring how to use Muggle electricity to break the magic barrier and tap into the ambient energy with modern technology," Harry smirked.

"Oh my," Hermione murmured as she read through the binder at an alarming rate, half listening to Harry. "He…that machine…" she stammered.

"Once I figured how to break the barrier, all I had to do was program it to function like a proper energy wave form, aka a spell, curse, hex, etc., and bam, modern magic," Harry placed a chair before his machine and stepped back, pressing at several buttons. The machine hummed before emitting a soft glow that enveloped the chair, transforming it into a golden retriever. "It takes a bit of energy to make the process work, but then again, this is only a prototype," he grinned sheepishly.

"Hermione…he just changed that chair into a dog with that machine," Ron was stunned.

"He's done a hell of a lot more than that," she gasped as she kept looking through the binder.

"Now, time to deal with the Minister of Magic," Harry smiled as he walked back over to his laptop.

**

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**

Lucius Malfoy glared at the Black house as the shield around it finally dropped. "About bloody time!" he berated his Aurors.

"It wasn't us sir," the one closest to him responded.

"Then who…" he froze as a transparent image of Harry Potter appeared before him. "Potter, you are under arrest, get him!" he shouted as several Aurors shot ropes from their wands, encountering nothing but air as they passed through Harry.

"Come now Lucius, it's like you've never seen a hologram before," Harry laughed, grinning from ear to ear. "I must commend you on tracking my signal here, what do you plan to do with all the Muggles that saw my little program?" Harry questioned him as the Aurors burst into the house, searching for him.

"They will be Obliviated like the Muggle filth they are," Lucius swore at him. "You're going to Azkaban, I'll have you executed for this," Lucius glared at him.

"Well, you'll have to find me first," Harry laughed, looking back at the house as it was ransacked. "I'm not in there you know," he taunted the Minister. "The only thing they'll find is the relay transmitter that I put in the attic and just shut off so I can broadcast from my backup site," he held back laughter as he noted Malfoy's murderous gaze.

"So what's this all about then Potter? Telling the Muggles, what do you hope to accomplish?" Lucius was seething.

"Oh, well I was kinda hoping it would destroy the magical world, force you and the Muggles to work together for a change," Harry shrugged.

"Not while I am Minister of Magic," Lucius glared back at the man with hate in his eyes.

"Excellent point," Harry nodded as whiz cut through the air and a dart stuck out of Malfoy's neck. "That dart is full of Veritaserum," Harry explained as elder Malfoy pulled the offending dart from his neck. "And when I sent this hologram out here, I changed the transmission device, so everyone is seeing and hearing us right now," Harry laughed.

**

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**

"Now Lucius, let's talk about your time with Voldemort," Harry's hologram said seriously as Ron and Hermione stared at the TV set in shock.

"He did it," Hermione squeaked.

"Checkmate," Ron grinned, nodding at his old friend.

**A/N: Yup. Sirius will be explained next chapter, as will the repercussions of Harry's broadcast, hope it wasn't too scientific.**


	3. Chapter 2: Interim

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 2: Interim**

Sirius Black chuckled as he reflected over his life, or afterlife as the case may be. He had been a bit shocked that after being cursed by his cousin Bellatrix and falling through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries, he emerged on the other side as a ghost in a Muggle apartment to see an older looking Harry Potter and a baby.

"Well that's a new one on me…" he frowned as he looked over his translucent body.

"Sirius?" Harry's voice cracked as he held the baby tight, eyes wide at the ghost.

"Oh, hey there Harry," Sirius grinned. "Guess I died then?" Harry nodded affirming him. "Nice kid you got there," Sirius smirked as the child grabbed at Harry's face. "Who's the mother?" Sirius asked as Harry examined him closely.

"Tonks," Harry replied softly.

"Oh ho, been going after the older women have you?" Sirius laughed loudly as Harry shushed the baby, glaring at the ghost. "Where is she, I have to get on her about this," Sirius smiled.

"She died in the final battle with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, along with her husband Remus," Harry teared up a bit.

"Oh bugger…" Sirius froze stumbled in his ghost form.

**----------------------------------------------**

Once Harry had briefed him on the state of the Wizarding world and Malfoy's current rise to power in a bid for the Minister position, Sirius was angry. He was beyond angry; he used all of his limited ghostly powers to destroy what he could of the living room while Harry put Teddy to bed. "God damn it Harry, was it all for nothing?" he sighed, collapsing to the floor.

"Sometimes I think so," Harry coughed as he entered the small kitchen, grabbing a bottle of liquor. "So many died, so much destruction, and it's just getting worse," Harry shook his head pouring a drink for himself. "Bottoms up," he winked at Sirius before downing the drink in one gulp.

"Awful rude of you, not to share," Sirius scratched his head as Harry poured a glass and set it in front of him. "Oh come on…" Sirius started to swear as he tried to grab the glass but could not.

"Looks like I'm drinking for two," Harry laughed, reaching through Sirius to grab the drink. "Come on, let me bounce some ideas off of you, Teddy will sleep for a few hours," Harry ordered as he dumped the drink down his throat and led the way to a cluttered desk in the corner of the small living room.

"What's all this?" Sirius asked, looking over books, parchments, notations, etc. that littered the desk.

"It's a plan, but I have no idea how to make it work," Harry admitted as he talked with Sirius long into the night.

**------------------------------------------------**

Sirius glanced between Teddy and the stars, a year and a half after he had become a ghost, a year since Malfoy had been elected and he, Harry, and Teddy had fled further in to Muggle London. The boy was just over three years old now, Sirius chuckled when he realized how much he resembled his parents, looking serious one second, the changing his hair some gaudy color the next. "You'd be proud Remus, you too Nymphadora," he sighed, watching the moon move slowly across the sky.

A flash of light from the second bedroom that doubled as Harry's research area caught his eye. He quickly flew through the walls to find the room empty and a sheet of parchment fluttering to the ground. "Harry?" Sirius questioned as he watched the paper settle on the ground, back side up of course. "Okay…you can do this Sirius, just make it move…" he muttered as he used his powers to make a burst of wind that flipped the paper over.

_Hey Pads, if you're reading this, it means that my plan worked. The ideas we came up with about using Muggle glass in reinforcing the Time-Turner were brilliant. Unfortunately, it only took me back a little under three years, to a couple months after the Battle of Hogwarts, too late to save Moony and Tonks. I took the liberty to take a look at the ambient magical energy when I got back Sirius, and I'm sorry, we're not going to be able to save them. Another jump back would be fatal for me, Merlin knows what it would do to someone with a weaker magical core._

_I'm getting off track though. Anyway, after I got back, I knew I had to hide away, make sure I was not seen, protecting the time-stream and all that rubbish. I went to the States, had Gringott's make me a false identity, and studied the schooling I had missed while battling Voldemort (Muggle and Magical or course, I had to make up another Time-Turner so I could repeat each day once or twice)._

_Anyway, back to business. I shored up my shoddy education and enchanted this letter to appear once my past self disappeared. With any luck I judged your reading speed well enough and am playing with Teddy right now, I haven't seen him in a while you know._

_-Harry James Potter_

--

Sirius and Harry settled into a routine, watching and raising Teddy together each day while Harry used the Time-Turner to go back and study. Sirius was around Harry all day long, but when the Time-Turning time came each day, he began to notice the differences when Harry came back. "So," Sirius began as Harry took a sip of whisky after the two of them had put Teddy to bed.

"So," Harry glanced back at him, nursing his drink.

"So…" Sirius glared at him.

"Sirius, we can do this all night, or you can come out and say whatever it is you are getting at," Harry frowned downing the drink violently.

"Well, since you are taking this so rationally," Sirius rolled his eyes. "What are you really doing?" he watched his godson carefully. "I know you going back every day, but how far? Some days you act like you have been gone for…"

"Months at a time?" Harry interrupted him.

"How long?" Sirius eyed him carefully.

"Around three years and some change in the initial transport, since then…about 2 years so far," Harry shrugged.

"Can the Ministry trace your turner?" he questioned.

"Apparently not, Malfoy would have thrown me in Azkaban long ago if he could," Harry smirked. "It's okay Sirius, I know what I am doing," he comforted the ghost.

"Do you now?" Sirius cocked his head. "What kind of dangers are there with using a turner, let alone using one as much as you have?" Sirius stared back at him.

"I know where I am at all times, so I will not disrupt the time stream," Harry frowned. "And I have been monitoring the damage to my magical core and spacing the longer trips out as I need time to recover," Harry took a long drink from the bottle. "I know what I'm doing Sirius, just trust me," he glared back at the ghost.

**------------------------------------------------**

"Teddy, don't make me call Harry!" Sirius threatened the boy who was throwing a tantrum and refusing to eat his breakfast. "Fine, want to play, let's play," he grinned at the boy before vanishing into the wall. A moment later the television screen on the wall was filled with the grinning face of Sirius Black. "Told you pup, don't mess with me," he stuck his tongue out as he activated some spells to send stinging hexes at Teddy.

Teddy laughed as he ran about the house, dodging the spells until he ran into a set of legs, falling to his own bottom immediately. "Hawwy!" he laughed, jumping up to hug his godfather, sticking his tongue through his missing front teeth. "Siwius is being mean," he pouted.

"Is he now?" Harry laughed as Sirius's ghost form slid out from the wall. "Can't watch a kid without hexing him?" Harry laughed.

"He's the son of a Marauder," Sirius smirked.

"Mawauder!" Teddy cheered as he hugged Harry tightly.

**------------------------------------------------**

Sirius didn't really understand how smart Harry was until Harry called him to his lab one day. He went by what Dumbledore and the others had told him when he was on the run or in hiding, that the boy was mediocre and lazy, sans DADA. The man that he encountered since he joined the afterlife was quite different than he had expected. This Harry was brilliant, building the most powerful Time-Turner ever created in couple years, then moving his expertise towards the rest of the Magical/Muggle worlds.

He was rarely left alone with Teddy, Harry would spend all day with the boy, giving him a loving home, then travel back in time to do his studies, making use of the various Muggle properties they had acquired since selling off all the assets from the Black vaults years ago.

"So, what you got for me pup?" Sirius grinned as he watched Harry type away on a keyboard.

"Oh, I think you'll like this one, or it will send you to the great beyond, not really sure," Harry scratched his head.

"Well, I'm sold, what do I need to do?" Sirius laughed.

"Stand there, between the Ion Particle collectors," Harry gestured at a platform with some metal apparatuses around it. "If I am right, this will probably be uncomfortable, but I bet you'll like it," Harry smirked as Sirius assumed the position.

"Well, with a ringing endorsement like that, go right ahead," Sirius rolled his eyes as the machine came to life. He watched the world around him fade away before it was replaced with what looked like Muggle television screens. "Harry?" he began to panic as the screens came to life, displaying the room with Harry in it.

"I hear you Sirius, just try to stay calm," Harry ordered. "Tell me what you see, I programmed it to be a spherical room with multiple display screens linked to the system," Harry explained.

"What the bloody hell is a display screen?" Sirius swore.

"I don't know, I 'm not a ghost, so I don't know what it looks like to you, play with it, I can extract you at any time," Harry frowned as he fiddled with his computers.

"Easy for you to say," Sirius frowned as he looked around the room he was in. "It's weird Harry, I can see all around me," he explained out loud. "When I reach at one of the screens, it comes closer, but I don't know what it means," he watched the lines of computer code running past his eyes.

"Try just thinking of what you want on a screen," Harry suggested.

"Okay…" Sirius concentrated as a screen of Harry sitting behind a computer typing rapidly came up. "Okay, I think I got it, but can't tell, am I watching you?" he asked as Harry on the screen raised a hand and flipped him off. "Guess that answers that, so what the hell did you do to me Harry, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, I think I created an interface for your ethereal form to merge with a computer. And since you can access the home's cameras, it probably worked," Harry grinned. "Try to hex me," he ordered.

"I'm a ghost Harry, I can't do magic," Sirius frowned.

"And I'm smarter than you, look at the device behind me, see if you can make it work," Harry ignored his protests and fiddled with the machine.

"A ghost can't use bloody spells Harry," Sirius frowned as Harry ignored him. "Fine, want me to get mad? Stupefy!" he laughed as the device shot a small beam of light at Harry, knocking him out. "Oh hell," he swore as he unconsciously manipulated the screens to show Harry closer. "Harry, you okay?" he asked as he watched Harry fight off the spell.

"Well, that was interesting," Harry laughed before he went back to his computer and worked on explaining the system to Sirius.

**------------------------------------------------**

The system Harry created was brilliant, Sirius realized. Harry had somehow built an interface to allow a ghost to control a computer. On top of that, he had somehow figured out a way to create magical energy from electrical energy. Sirius had no idea how he did it, but was extremely grateful at being able to pop into the machine and zap Harry or Teddy at will. He spent time in the machine at night becoming accustomed to the interface, helping to fix small programming errors as he slowly learned the system.

"Harry, I was digging around last night and found some things," he explained as he settled in the chair across from Harry in his office. They had put Teddy to bed a few minutes ago and Sirius was trying to catch him before he used the turner. "Care to explain?" he motioned at the screen that lit up in front of Harry.

"Oh, you've been studying haven't you Pads?" Harry smirked as he looked over the screen on his computer.

"To be fair, I don't have to sleep, so I've has some time to work on your encryption," Sirius smirked. "So, what gives, when were you planning on telling me about all this?"

"Oh, figured I was gonna get around to it eventually," Harry shrugged. "But to be serious," he pointed a finger at the ghost. "No puns," he smirked at the ghost. "I figured I'd let you know once I got it all figured it, kinda like I did with the computer interface," he smiled. "So, go ahead, I know you have questions since you cracked…all of files?" Harry laughed at the ghost.

"Think I got them all," Sirius laughed. "Not sure I understand it all really, seemed a bit over my head," Sirius shrugged.

"Not really sure what you want to know Pads, but go ahead," Harry sighed as he settled in for a night of questioning.

**------------------------------------------------**

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Sirius lectured as Harry and Teddy played in the living room. "You hid more files from me, you planned all this, and you didn't let me help!" the ghost ranted before tapping into the house and shooting a stinging hex at Harry.

"Pads, calm down," Harry laughed as he pulled Teddy onto his lap. "It went fine Sirius, we hung Malfoy, discredited the Ministry, got some free publicity for Marauder International, and… what did I miss Teddy?" Harry grinned at the child.

"We fixed Lycanthropy, but you were a meanie and didn't tell them!" Teddy frowned at Harry, before being attacked by a tickling charm from Sirius.

"Harry, they won't take this lying down, Malfoy is going to have you killed on sight," Sirius ranted. "Not to mention the fallout with the Muggles, how many did you broadcast this to?" Sirius ranted before noting the look in Harry's eyes. "Oh hell," the ghost paled before fading away and disappearing.

"Teddy, make sure I explain things to Sirius ahead of time from now on, he's a bit to excitable," Harry laughed as he counted down in his head how long it would take Sirius to pick up on what had happened.

"HARRY!" Sirius shouted as the TV turned on, displaying his face. "Do you have any idea what you have done?" Sirius glared at him.

"Let me think," Harry grinned. "Incriminated the Minster, utterly destroyed the Statute of Secrecy, and once people read that book I sent them, cured 90% of all diseases?" Harry laughed at Sirius.

"Well then, you know exactly what you have done," the screen sighed. "What do you need me to do?" Sirius asked as he reappeared in his ghost form next to Harry.

"Not much, I put the financial files and other things you'll want to look at and take care of in a special encrypted drive, you should be able to access it now, it was under a timed Fidelus," Harry explained. "I'm a bit tired Sirius, I'll take care of Teddy, wake me if I am needed," Harry snorted as the ghost disappeared again and he readied his godson for bed.

**------------------------------------------------**

"Oh my god," Hermione gasped as she flipped through the binder Harry had sent to them and billions of other households. "Ron, oh my god," she muttered as she skimmed over the binder, glazing over everything but the main points. "Ron!" she shouted after a minute. "Look at this!" she pushed the book at him.

"Better check the TV 'Moine," Ron pointed as Harry interrogated Lucius Malfoy about his time as a Death Eater.

"He did it," Hermione gasped.

"Checkmate," Ron grinned before looking over the binder Hermione shoved at him, as he held the baby in his free hand. "Hermione, what am I looking at, this is all a bunch of numbers," he complained before Hermione tore the binder away from him.

"Ron, Harry…" Hermione tried to find the words. "He's a genius, he's smarter than me, he…he figured it out," she frowned. "I tried figuring out magic as it relates to Muggle technology years ago, and got nowhere, but he…he's figured out how to create magical energy using Muggle technology," she explained as she skimmed over the binder.

"That's a bad thing?" Ron asked as he played with Rose.

"No, but broadcasting it worldwide and sending his findings to everyone might have been a bad thing," Hermione flipped through the pages. "He's cured Lycanthropy, Cancer, HIV, and …he thinks he can destroy Dementors," Hermione slumped as she read. "He thinks he can correct the genetic defect that keeps Squibs from using magic, he says he's identified the sequence on the human genome that controls magic," she continued on for another half hour before looking up at her husband.

"Hermione, I have no idea what most of that means," Ron admitted as he rocked their daughter to sleep.

**A/N: Merry Xmas, I am alive and well. I'll also be in the land of dial-up for the next two weeks for the holidays, which is good for you, since it means I have nothing to do but write or drink beer. Anyway, got one more chapter of back story, then it should get to the main plot.**


	4. Chapter 3: Marauder International

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 3: Marauder International**

"Harry!" Sirius woke up his godson, the computerized voice booming out of speakers in the office.

"Sirius, don't make me do an exorcism," Harry groaned after a night of drinking heavily while watching the reaction of the Muggle and Wizarding media to his broadcast. "What do you want Pads?" he asked as he conjured a glass of water to drink.

"Harry, you forget what you added at the end of that packet?" Sirius asked as he pulled up a view from the front of their building. "We have company," Sirius laughed as Harry noted the crowd outside their office building.

"Well, I figured if we gave the address for the office we could get the talented applicants here faster," Harry shrugged as he looked over the crowd. "Anyone tried to kill me yet?"

"Two teams from the Ministry, one with Malfoy himself, none got past the wards and defenses you built," Sirius admitted. "Nice work on those, took the bastards out without too much trouble," the ghost laughed as he made the screen replay the teams of wizards and Malfoy himself attacking the wards before the Minister was hauled off by Kingsley and another Auror roughly.

"Nice work Shack," Harry commented as he stumbled to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. "What kind of communication have we received from them?" Harry asked as he took a sip from the steaming mug.

"Well, I've handled the Muggle side very well, good idea putting the e-mail and phone number for the office line in the package," Sirius smirked. "You have a meeting with the Queen and the Prime Minister today at the Palace for lunch, I have various corporations looking to meet you over the next few weeks, I'm trying to keep you to meetings with the Muggle businesses for only a couple hours a day, leaving a couple more for the wizards, and the rest to do whatever you want," Sirius flashed a calendar with times and names across the screen.

"What about the Wizards and the Ministry?" Harry frowned at Sirius.

"The owlery is…shall we say, filled with letters, howlers, explosive devices and the like. I can't very well sort through them without a body, the drain on the spell generator would drop the wards," Sirius explained.

"Well, guess we need to call in some help then," Harry laughed. "I probably should have called him here a while ago, but didn't want the Ministry to have any magic to trace," he smiled. (**A/N: I know I said this was canon post DH ignoring the epilogue, but changed my mind, gotta love the little guy**) "Dobby!" Harry said loudly, pausing a moment before the house elf appeared with a loud crack.

"Harry Potter!" Dobby shrieked as he grabbed onto Harry's leg, crying his eyes out. "You is alive, you is in danger, wizards be wanting to hurt you for what you said!" Dobby panicked.

"It's okay Dobby, I can deal with the wizards and the Muggles," Harry laughed as he pried the small elf off his leg. "I want to give you a job Dobby, if you're interested," Harry smiled as the elf broke into tears babbling incoherently. "I'll take that as a yes," Harry laughed. "Dobby, this is my godfather Sirius," Harry motioned at the screen where a computer generated image of Sirius Black looked back.

"Hey there Dobby," Sirius nodded at the confused elf.

"Sirius Black is dead, Harry Potter can bring back the dead?" Dobby's eyes grew wide in fear.

"No Dobby," Sirius laughed as his ghost form drifted out from a wall. "Let's just say Harry is very good at making it easy for an old ghost like me cause trouble," he laughed. "Come on now, we'll talk about your wages and all that rubbish later. What Harry needs now, is someone to clear out the mass of letters up in the owlery," Sirius motioned for the elf to follow him.

"Harry Potter, sir?" Dobby looked at him curiously.

"Go ahead Dobby, Sirius is my assistant, you can be an assistant to both of us, welcome to Marauder International," Harry laughed, waving his wand to create a black and red uniform with the company's logo on it. "Here's your uniform, no arguing," he cut the elf off as he handed him the clothes. "Now go get to the owlery, both of you, that's an order," he chuckled as Dobby disapparated and Sirius shook his head.

"Really…an over excitable house elf?" Sirius shook his head at him.

"I need people I can trust," Harry shrugged. "He's as loyal to me as you are Sirius," Harry sighed. "Go give him the run down on the house, see if you can get Teddy to help him with the letters," he ordered. "You said lunch with the Queen at noon?" he frowned.

"Yeah, at the palace, she said to show up at the main gate and you would be let in," Sirius nodded.

"Great," Harry groaned. "I'm gonna go get rid of the crowds, go play with Dobby and Teddy," he frowned as he finished his coffee and walked to his room to change into fresh clothes.

**-------------------------------**

Ron held his wife back as she spat, scratched, and swung at the reporter. "You foul woman, I should have crushed you when I had the chance!" she screamed as Ron grabbed her in a bear hug. "Let me go Ronald!" she yelled at him, struggling against his arms.

"Filthy little mudblood, I'm going to destroy you and Potter for all this, I know you helped him," Rita Skeeter turner her nose up at Hermione.

"Oh, screw this, go get her," Ron snorted, letting Hermione go and watching as she proceeded to beat Skeeter to the ground until she was forced to apparate away. "Feel better?" Ron asked as he helped his wife up.

"Much, thank you Ronald," she fumed as she waved her wand cleaning the dirt and blood off of herself. She didn't bother hiding it, the crowd in front of Harry's 'home' was enormous, half of it being Muggle, the other half Wizard. What shocked her the most was how well the police and Aurors worked to keep the crowd back from the building and it's wards, especially after Lucius Malfoy and a strike team tried to enter the building, in what turned out to be his last action as Minister of Magic, as Kingsley and other Aurors hauled him away once the wards repelled him.

The crowd roared suddenly as the front door to the plain brick home opened. Hermione and Ron pushed their way to the edge of the crowd where the Aurors and police were keeping order, catching Harry's gaze. Harry grinned when he saw the two of them, motioning the closest policeman to let the two of them through. "Hey there kids," Harry grinned as Hermione stormed up to him and slapped him across the face.

The crowd went silent as she tore into him. "Harry James Potter, how dare you do this without talking to us about it first? Malfoy is scum, but this is insanity! Breaking the Statute of Secrecy, have you lost your mind? You tricked me into writing that book! How did you build a time-turner? When did Sirius come back? How did you figure how to make magic work?" she continued to tear into him as the crowd cringed.

Harry listened to her for a while before smirking at Ron, who paled immediately and mouthed 'no' to him. "Good to see you too 'Mione, how about those Cannons Ron? Been doing a bit better since they moved you up to starting Keeper, if the papers are right," Harry patted his friend on the back.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, glaring at him.

"Oh hi there Hermione, guess I didn't see you," he laughed as he greeted her with a hug. "If you want to get answers, owl or phone me, otherwise I need to find a way to get this crowd off my lawn," he whispered before releasing her. "So, I take it you all liked the show?" he turned to the crowd and waved, shaking hands, making a good impression in his tailored gray suit.

"Harry!" Hermione hurried after him once she recovered, Ron trailing behind trying to calm her down. "What the hell were you thinking?" she pulled him away from the crowd, glaring at him.

"Oh, same old same old," Harry shrugged. "The Wizarding world was sick Hermione, you know it too well," he frowned as he walked back toward the house. "You were passed over for god knows how many jobs because you were Muggle-born," he sighed, tapping on the wall of the house. "Sirius, get out here!" he shouted. "The only way to fix something that bad, was to break it completely," he smirked at her as Sirius's glowing form emerged.

"Hermione! Ron! Good to see you!" Sirius laughed and mock hugged them. "What's up pup?" he cocked his head at Harry.

"Oh, just figured you'd want to say hi to them," Harry laughed as Hermione's face softened then grew confused.

"Harry, this isn't a gho…" she was stopped as Harry put his hand over her mouth.

"Owl. Appointment," he ordered her, before walking toward the crowd with a laughing ghost. "Ahem, ladies, gentlemen, and everything in between," he addressed the crowd. "The address attached to each packet I sent out was to give you a way to contact me and make appointments, not to come here and annoy me," Harry continued, looking at his watch. "You are trampling my lawn, get the hell off it, or you will be dumped in the Thames," he paused. "I'm not kidding, one minute to get the hell off my grass, police and Aurors are the exception of course," he patted the closest policeman on the back reassuringly.

"Harry, why are you bluffing?" Hermione pulled him aside as he watched his watch count down. "There is no spell to forcibly apparate that many people at once, regardless of the distance," she lectured him for a moment before Harry looked up from his watch.

"Hit it Pads," he smirked at Sirius who disappeared back into the house.

"Harry what are you…" Ron asked before Harry waved him back and walked to address the crowd.

"Well, nice to see the masses are as good at doing something intelligent as ever," he smirked at them. "Have a nice swim," he waved as the lights on the street dimmed and the crowd of people, minus Aurors, police, and Weasleys vanished. "Pads, get me the power record of that ASAP," he shouted at the house, ignoring the shocked wizards and Muggles. "Okay, police and Aurors, I'm only going to say this once, I don't need you watching my house protecting me," he looked over the remaining crowd. "Aurors, you're going to have a new Minister come tomorrow, Malfoy is done now that Shack has him," he watched as several Aurors paled. "Officers," he looked over the nervous police. "I have lunch with the Queen and Prime Minister at noon, I'm sure you'll see some orders regarding me after that, but for now, get the hell off my lawn, all of you," he stared them down until they all disapparated or drove away.

"Come on kids," Harry motioned at Hermione and Ron as he walked back into the house after the last officer drove off. He opened the door and motioned them in, leading the way to the kitchen for a small brunch.

"Unca Won!" Teddy shouted as he ran to tackle Ron, giggling all the while.

Harry noted Dobby looking relieved someone had got the boy away from him as he rapidly prepared some light food for those assembled. "How were the letters Dobby?" Harry asked as Ron and Hermione fussed over Teddy.

"They is sorted, sir," Dobby clapped his hands. "Master Padfoot took all the information as I read them to him and is scheduling meetings," Dobby grinned before presenting everyone with far too much food.

"Great work Dobby, I knew I could count on you," Harry laughed at the elf's joyful expression. "Do me a favor, we're going to need more elves here, for the rest of the building, come next week," he smiled at the elf. "Go find some elves that you trust, Master Padfoot will deal with getting their uniforms and their wages," he laughed as the elf wept uncontrollably before disapparating.

"Harry! House elves!" Hermione glared at him, as Ron and Teddy looked at her angry face.

"Paying them," Harry countered, grabbing a sandwich as Ron and Teddy's head jerked to look at him.

"But…" she began.

"I'm giving them uniforms," he continued, as the heads jerked between the two of them arguing.

"What's with this Master Padfoot?" Hermione grew red with anger.

"Ask the ghost, wasn't my idea," Harry shrugged.

"Hanging me out to dry Harry?" Sirius asked from his customary screen on the wall. "I thought you were raised better than that," he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Some kind of a portrait?" Ron frowned as Teddy laughed in his lap.

"Pads is a ghost, not a portrait," Teddy giggled. "He lives in the walls," Teddy laughed at Ron.

"The kid is right," Sirius spoke from his screen, mostly to Hermione. "Harry created an interface that allows a ghost to possess a machine and viola, here I am," he dramatically waved his hands.

"How?" she jerked her head to Harry quickly.

"Company secret, can't let you know without various oaths and non-disclosure agreements and the like," Harry shot back. "Teddy, go take Uncle Ron to your room and get dressed," Harry jerked his head at the stairs. "Pads, make sure it is appropriate," he added after they were out of earshot halfway up the stairs.

"Appropriate for what Harry?" Hermione glared at him.

"Oh, you know, this and that," he replied and concentrated on his sandwich.

**------------------------------**

"I am going to kill you when we are done here," Hermione smiled at her seat next to Harry as she threatened his life under her breath. "I'm going to draw it out too, make it painful," her eyes glared at him as she kept up a mask of happiness.

"Come on now Hermione, it's not that bad," Harry chuckled as he helped himself to another portion of potatoes.

"Dead man walking," she stomped on his foot under the table before going back to her own food. After Teddy had finished changing clothes back at Harry's, Harry had somehow side-along apparated herself, Ron, Teddy, and Sirius's ghost out of the house. She had of course, tore into him the moment she saw that he brought Sirius with them, knowing the impossibilities of apparating a ghost. She questioned him for nearly a minute before Ron clamped his hand over her mouth.

He spun her around, pointing at Buckingham Palace and several guards motioning for them to enter. Harry led the way, with Teddy at his side while Sirius made several jokes at her expense as they walked to a lavish dining room. She was shell-shocked to see the Queen and Prime Minister chatting and waiting for them. She immediately looked down over her normal everyday robes and wanted to kill Harry Potter.

They had made small talk during the meal until after a wonderful desert the food was cleared away and the serious talk began. "Mr. Potter, I assume you have an idea why we asked you here," the Queen began.

"Harry please, no Mister," Harry smiled. "I have a general idea, I don't bother Mr. Padfoot too much asking for details," he relaxed in his seat.

"You never tell me your details, why should I tell you mine?" Sirius shouted back from next to Teddy where the ghost was playing with Teddy.

"Mr. Padfoot, I presume," the Prime Minister raised an eyebrow. "If I may be blunt… what exactly are you?" he looked at the ghost carefully.

Hermione's head swing between the two of them rapidly. "You can see him? But you're a Muggle, aren't you?" she questioned the Prime Minister.

"If I understood the book you wrote correctly, yes I am a Muggle, Mrs. Weasley," he nodded.

"But… he's a ghost, Muggles can't see ghosts…" she fumbled with the words. "Harry!" she glared at him.

"Company secret, non-disclosure agreements," he pointed a finger in her face. "Mr. Padfoot is a ghost, but that is not really Mr. Padfoot," he gestured at the ghost who stuck his tongue out making Teddy laugh. "Now, on to more pressing business please, preferably things of worldly importance rather than the million questions I know Hermione has," Harry bit his tongue as Ron snorted and Hermione turned her glare on him.

"Oh bugger," looked away holding his face in his palm, knowing he was in for it when they got home.

"I share many of Mrs. Weasley's questions too Harry, I am a Squib and am rather confused by all that has happened, even I know that Muggles cannot see ghosts," the Queen looked at him sternly.

"This is worse than McGonagall," Harry groaned. "Pads, come up here," he gestured at the table in front of him as the ghost walked over it. "Only explaining this once, then we are getting on to business, agreed?" he looked over the crowd. "Agreed?" he asked a bit louder.

"Agreed," everyone else nodded quickly.

"My esteemed colleague Mr. Padfoot, is a ghost, as was pointed out before," Harry slipped into lecture mode. "Mr. Padfoot is also back in my office, what you see here is an advanced holographic projection meant to simulate what a ghost looks like," Harry continued. "The signal is broadcast from my office where data is sent and received and Sirius controls the hologram from there," he explained to the stunned table. "Think of it like astral projection, or something along those lines," he shrugged. "Now, back to business, please," he pleaded, shooing Sirius back to Teddy.

"Ah…well, to be frank, we were aware of the Magical world already through various sources, but always were unable to do much about it, we were at the mercy of whoever was Minster of Magic at the time, relying on them or whatever our spies could dig up for information," the Prime Minister began. "The book that you sent everyone showed that what we thought was going on in our worst case scenarios was closest to the truth. As it stands now, we have a full military alert going on, as does every other country that we have diplomatic ties with, everyone is holding their breath, waiting for the other shoe to fall," he continued.

"The people are very nervous Harry, Wizards have lived secretly among the rest of us for ages, the shockwaves are going to be huge," the Queen added. "If the way Mrs. Weasley described the Ministry of Magic was correct, they will not work with us, this could end up as a bloodbath," she frowned.

"Oh gods," Hermione gasped.

"Don't worry, I have it under control," Harry assured them, conjuring a bottle of brandy and some glasses as he distributed them. "If the wizarding world had the brilliant idea to move against the Muggle world, they would be slaughtered," Harry sipped his drink.

"Harry, the Muggles have all sorts of weapons you don't know about, they have bombs that can destroy cities," Hermione panicked. "If the wizards attacked, we'd be destroyed," she breathed heavily.

"Yes, if they wizards attacked, they would be slaughtered, like I said," he smiled as Hermione calmed herself by downing the whole glass of brandy. "I know more of the Muggle world's weapons of war than you probably do Hermione," Harry laughed. "Time-turner," he cut her off before she could continue. "Wizards age slower than Muggles so you can't see it, but I am around forty years old now Hermione," he smiled at her shocked look. "And in regards to the Wizards attacking the Muggles, I took care of that as well," he pointed his wand at the table and conjured a WWN radio and carefully tuned it.

_…wake of the breaking of the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry Potter, the Ministry of Wizarding England will be making a statement momentarily. I repeat in the wake of the breaking of the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry Potter, the Ministry of Wizarding England will be making a statement momentarily._

_My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt and I have work to do, so I am going to make this brief. Harry Potter is not to be approached by Aurors of any nation. He will not be charged with any crimes for what was revealed yesterday. We cannot go back and change what happened, now we need to move forward. Lucius Malfoy has been removed from office and is being held in Azkaban until a time when a trial can be arranged. All Aurors are to concentrate on violent crimes, robberies, and the like, a full list of what you are to concentrate on has been sent to your offices. Under no circumstances shall you investigate cases of underage magic use, or use of magic in front of Muggles, unless it is used violently against them._

_I have assumed temporary leadership of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as well as the Auror Division until a time that better arrangements can be made. We will keep the peace and work with the Muggles as we integrate our society by orders of the Interim Minister of Magic, Hermione Weasley._

Everyone's head jerked to look at the bushy haired witch who looked about ready to faint, throw up, or strangle someone all at once. "Oh, I forgot to mention that…" Harry muttered as he got up and slowly stepped away from the table. "I kinda arranged this whole overthrowing the government thing, more or less," he shrugged as he motioned at Sirius who disapparated with Teddy. "I forged a bunch of correspondences with Shack for you, congratulations Hermione," he smiled. "You, Shack, and I just overthrew a corrupt system, have fun," he mock saluted her before disapparating as he began to hear her screams.

**---------------------------------------**

"Pads, bring up the wards to full please, I don't want Hermione killing me in my sleep," Harry said as he popped in the kitchen.

"Gotcha chief," the speakers responded. "Teddy is up in his room playing, I used Dobby to send some timed port-keys to some promising applicants for the company," Sirius explained as Harry nodded and walked to his office. "First one is arriving in five minutes, is a bit of a looker, but has a great financial mind and organizational skills," Sirius added.

"Wonderful, anyone try to break the wards when we were out?" Harry settled into his comfortable chair after removing his suit coat.

"A couple 'ex'-Death Eaters, I sent them along to the cells Shack told us to," Sirius confirmed. "We have a problem with the power supply though, I hacked into the main power grid in London and we are going to cause blackouts within three days at our current consumption levels," Sirius displayed several figures on the screen.

"Dobby," Harry called for the elf, smiling as he saw him in the black and red uniform. "You and whatever house elves you find can handle the cleaning and cooking, correct?" Harry asked the elf who nodded enthusiastically. "Cut power for all the cleaning and cooking charms, take down the glamour on the outside, that should give us time to get a spell master in here to permanently expand the areas I have not got to yet?" Harry raised an eyebrow as Sirius recalculated the numbers on the screen.

"Should be fine, but are gonna need to get someone in here soon, preferably some of the people we hire, so you don't drain yourself expanding the rooms again," Sirius lectured him. "Anyway, Dobby and I will go greet the first applicant in the Lobby, we removed the wards on the front door to take them to the Lobby rather than your apartment," Sirius continued as he removed various wards and spells from the property.

"That's fine Sirius, bring them all by, make sure I have non-disclosure agreements drawn up for all of them ahead of time, and for all that is holy, do not let Hermione in until she cools down," Harry relaxed as he picked up the file for this first interview, smiling.

**A/N: I has an update. Anyway, this is the last of the back-story, the rest of it is gonna jump ahead a bit to see how the Muggles, the company, and the Ministry of Magic dealt with Harry exposing the secrets in the most dramatic way possible. For those that asked and wondered who would be falling into the Pepper role, you have to wait one more chapter. And in regards to the Iron Man X-over itself…just stay tuned kids, it's coming. I don't have the exact chapter number, but I know how it's gonna happen, so fear not. Trust me, you will not see it coming.**


	5. Chapter 4: Head Boy

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 4: Head Boy**

"Wake up," the voice cut into his head as he pulled the pillows and blankets over his head.

He groaned under the sheets, pulling them up to keep the light from his eyes. "Pads, we have hours before we need to get to King's Cross, go away," he murmured, snuggling with the warm body next to him.

"I wouldn't be much of an Uncle if I let you lay there with your girl and not embarrass you pup," Sirius replied before he activated an Aquamenti spell, dousing the bed and bodies within with a stream of cold water. "See you two in the kitchen," he laughed before shutting off his view of the room and moving to his next target.

"What do we have here…" he walked out of the wall into a familiar office, snorting as he saw Dobby cleaning up the mess of empty bottles and sorting through papers. "Give him a wake up call there Dobby, if you will," he nodded at the house elf who enthusiastically shot a wave of water at the man hunched over sleeping at a desk. The wave caught the man's limp body and carried him out of his chair across the room until the wall stopped him.

"Bloody hell," Harry sputtered as he coughed up a mouthful of water. "What the hell was that for?" he complained as he got up to his feet.

"Wasn't fair that I woke up Teddy and not you," Sirius shrugged as Harry dried himself with his magic. "You know Molly is going to kill you if she finds out about you letting Victoire spend nights here with Teddy, never mind what Bill and Fleur will do to you if they find out," Sirius commented as Harry stretched out.

"Well I don't bloody well plan on letting them know," Harry frowned as he walked to his bedroom. "Besides, you're the one with eyes everywhere, I can just blame you, not like they can kill you again," he laughed as he changed his clothes. "What's the bottom line coming up as today?" he asked as he stood in his bathroom brushing his teeth.

"Stocks are up a few points, nothing too crazy. We're still competing with Stark for most of those hefty contracts, but he has better knowledge on the Muggle side and we have the same on this side," Sirius watched as Harry shaved. "We could be making a lot more money now if you had not shared the basics of the spell generators with the world, never mind you giving Stark the spell wavelengths we compiled," he complained.

"I know Pads," Harry smirked. "Life isn't all about money you know," Harry shrugged as he concentrated on finishing shaving. "Besides, Tony is a genius, that reactor of his would have taken me years to figure out if we didn't trade off the spell wavelengths," Harry splashed his face with water then wiped it with a towel. "Besides, it worked out pretty good for us I think," he walked past Sirius laughing.

Harry greeted Teddy and Victoire warmly as he entered the kitchen. He smiled as he watched them shooting dirty looks at Sirius. "Ah come on kids, don't be mad at the old man," Harry laughed as he sat down and was served breakfast by Dobby.

"You are older than I am," Sirius reminded him.

"Details details," Harry waved him off as he attacked his plate of food. "Now you two, you were out last night running around in the moon then came back here to sleep in your room," he pointed at Teddy. "And you in the guest room," he looked at Victoire. "And if your parents and grandmother find out we let you share Teddy's room, what do you say?" he smirked at them.

"Blame Sirius," they replied in unison.

"It's a conspiracy," Sirius frowned before turning off the monitor.

"Hello Harry, good morning Victoire, good morning Teddy," a French voice came as a beautiful blonde haired woman in a business suit swept into the room kissing everyone on the cheeks, even the screen where Sirius' head reappeared. "And how are you all this morning, eager to get back to school?" she asked as she took a seat and was served a plate of fruit by Dobby. "Merci," she smiled at the elf.

"Yes Aunt Gabrielle," Victoire replied automatically.

"Yes Miss Delacour," Teddy replied automatically.

"Why are you here this early? Why does everyone that works for me insist on waking me up earlier than I need to be up, in the most annoying ways they can think of?" Harry asked before he bit down on a forkful of scrambled eggs. "You've even corrupted Dobby," he pointed a fork at the elf.

"I is your assistant Harry, is my job to make sure you do yours," Dobby smirked at him.

"And you do that job very well Dobby," Gabrielle smiled at him. "And because Sirius pays him extra to make sure you get up," she shrugged as Harry choked on his food.

"Damn it Gabrielle, stop telling the pup my secrets," Sirius complained.

"Back to business, we are taking the kids to King's Cross at noon, we are staying on the train for PR for the company, granting interviews to the up and coming seventh years and so forth," Gabrielle looked over a sheath of papers she pulled from a briefcase. "At the castle you have your usual meet and greet before the Headmistress gives her speech, we should be done and out of the castle by ten," she continued as Harry frowned at his food.

"How much longer is she going to make me do this, she knows I hate riding that train interviewing kids, not to mention the fun at the castle that happens every damn year," Harry complained.

"Oh, just as long as you keep being cheeky to her and breaking the rules," Gabrielle chuckled.

"So forever, great…" Harry banged his head on his plate, bringing his face up covered in food. "Remind me not to do that," he commented as he brushed the food from his face and everyone else laughed.

**----------------------------------**

"Hello zere 'arry," Harry rolled his eyes as he was greeted by Fleur at King's Cross. "Ow were the children?" she kissed his cheeks making him blush.

"Oh, zey vere vonderful," he replied.

"Your fake French accent is horrendous Harry," she shook her head.

"And your accent is an act that is getting old, you've been in England for the last fifteen years, you only lay that accent on to trick people," he whispered as he hugged her in greeting.

"Hands off the wife there Potter, go get your own," Bill winked at Harry as Gabrielle shot daggers at him with her eyes.

"Bill, how nice to see you again," Harry ignored the comment from the eldest Weasley. "How'd last night go? Transformation went fine?" he shook the scarred man's hand.

"Oh yes Harry, he is a big furry pillow," Fleur laughed making Bill blush and Victoire and Teddy slowly try to walk away from the parents. "Don't try to hide now Victoire, Teddy," she caught them as they tried to leave. "I am well aware of what you two have and have not done at Harry's," she winked at them, causing them to pale considerably.

"What have they done…?" Bill's gaze shifted to Teddy, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, I'll tell you later Bill, nothing too naughty," she patted her husband on the pack and held his arm, keeping him from throttling Teddy. "Well now, Bill and I need to get home and talk, you kids have fun, this is your last year after all," she smiled and waved as she pulled Bill away chucking at him.

"How does my mother know…" Victoire muttered to herself as Teddy led her onto the train helping her with her trunk.

"Please tell me I don't have to fire you for telling your sister about them sharing a room," Harry frowned at Gabrielle, watching the kids walk onto the train.

"Oh, that wasn't her it was me, you can dock my pay if you want," Sirius laughed as his ghostly form materialized next to Harry.

"I don't pay you anything as it is," Harry rolled his eyes and left Sirius to argue with Gabrielle as he found his usual compartment in the train. He has been given the compartment next to the Prefect compartment to conduct interviews in by order of the Minister of Magic years ago. Hermione was none too happy that Harry had thrown her into the position, and her being given the position again in the last three elections had done nothing to temper her anger at Harry. She knew he hated being placed in front of crowds and made Gabrielle, Sirius, and the others interview people for the company, and forcing him to meet and greet people every school year was a good revenge.

He settled into his chair before calling Dobby to him. "Here you are Harry," the elf bowed, handing him a bottle of wine.

"And nothing to Pads or Gab about this, right?" he watched the elf nod in agreement before disappearing. "A little drinky drink always helps with this ride," he mused as he poured himself a drink.

**---------------------------------------**

"I am going to kill both of you," Gabrielle glared at Sirius and Harry as she rifled through her briefcase, before pulling a folder out. "You are not allowed to talk to my sister without my permission again," she glared at Sirius. "And you are not allowed to drink on this train," she focused on Harry.

"Makes the kids tolerable," Harry shrugged.

"Just get on Hermione's good side and stop pissing her off and you won't have to come here again," Gabrielle reminded him.

"What, and miss all this fun?" Harry shrugged as the door for their first interview opened. "Well now, this ought to be fun," he smirked at Teddy as he took the folder from Gabrielle and started looking through it. "Head Boy, very impressive Mr. Lupin," Harry played.

"Stuff it Harry, not in the mood," Teddy fumed, sitting back in the seat across from Harry, Gabrielle and the ghost. "Victoire is less than happy about her mother knowing, and her father finding out about our business," his hair and face turned red.

"Sirius, how much did you tell Fleur?" Harry turned to the ghost.

"Can I plead she had me under Veritaserum?" he countered.

"You're a ghost, answer the question," Gabrielle frowned at him as well.

"Fine, she knows the two of you are shagging, it's not like her and Bill didn't before they got married," Sirius shrugged. "She said she'd handle Bill, that it was no big deal, gotta love you French women, maybe you should find one Harry," Sirius smirked at Harry as the train slowed down and stopped.

"What's going on? We can't be at Hogwart's yet, we just left twenty minutes ago," Teddy frowned as he checked his watch.

Harry leaned to the side, pressing his head against the window, trying to see past the tinted glass. "Down!" he yelled as he spotted a familiar color of light and dove to the floor of the cabin, pulling Gabrielle and Teddy with him. The glass and walls above them exploded a moment later, scattering wood and glass debris over them and embedding the sharp chunks in the wall heading to the main corridor of the train.

Sirius calmly looked out the gaping hole at the countryside. "There's a group of them Harry, I count six, but wouldn't put it past them to be disillusioned or hiding," Sirius watched as the figures distanced themselves from the treeline.

"Gab, Teddy, get out of here, go watch the rest of the train, they're here for me," Harry ordered as he roughly crawled toward the door and pulled it open. "No arguing, go," he whispered angrily as he pushed the two of them through the door.

"Why are they after you?" Teddy asked as he stayed in the doorway, keeping Harry from closing it.

"Because, I'm Harry Bloody Potter, the bad guys are always after me," Harry smiled before he pushed Teddy back and closed the door on him. "Recognize anyone out there Pads?" Harry asked as he pulled out his wand and relaxed, getting ready.

"Oh, you'll love this one Harry," Sirius laughed.


	6. Chapter 5: Gryffindor

**486625A/N: Sorry if there was a little confusion on the timelines on the first few chapters, but long story short, the first three chapters and the prologue cover the time from the end of DH until roughly 2006 (I believe, I am away from my apartment, so don't have the timeline with me). It's a rough outline of how Harry exposed the wizarding world and started his business. Chapter 4 picks up in present day where the bulk of the story takes place and will fill in the blanks about the company and wizarding world as time goes along.**

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 5: Gryffindor**

"Come out with your hands up and throw down your wand Potter, we know you're in there!" a familiar voice shouted into the wrecked portion of the train.

"Draco? Is that you Draco?" Harry shouted back, poking his head up to take a look before ducking it down again as some spells hit where he popped up. "If I come out, you're going to kill me," Harry shouted back, weighing his options.

"And if you don't we'll start shooting into the train, now come out and throw me your wand," Draco ordered. "I want to torture you before we kill you, if that is any consolation," he added with a sneer.

"Oh, in that case, sure, whatever you say," Harry replied sarcastically as he climbed from the wreckage with Sirius at his side. He examined his old enemy, not having seen him since him personally since the day Lucius attacked #12. "Taking after daddy I see?" Harry commented, noting the tied back blond hair.

"Not entirely," Draco glared at him, gesturing at the man at his side who kept an assault rifle trained on Harry. "I learned the Muggles have some good qualities, now give me the wand," he extended his hand.

Harry shrugged and winced as Draco immediately broke the wand. "So, why attack the train?" Harry asked, calmly walking about, examining Draco and his men. "Holding me for ransom?" he watched Draco sneer at the thought. "Not ransom then, I guess all the money you and the other purebloods left with held you over pretty well, not looking to shabby," Harry poked at Draco's robes.

"No thanks to you Potter, making that filthy mudblood into Minister of Magic, getting my father thrown in Azkaban," Draco grabbed Harry by the front of his suit violently. "You ruined my life, we had to leave the country, go into hiding to stop the Aurors from taking everything we had," he pushed Harry away.

"As I recall, you and the other Death Eaters, I mean upstanding pure bloods," Harry corrected himself. "You all left the country immediately once Hermione got elected on a permanent basis because you knew you were going to be arrested for supporting Voldemort," Harry countered as Draco's face grew red.

"Crucio," he muttered, dropping Harry to the ground for a few seconds. "You would do well to not anger those who hold your life in their hands Potter," Draco growled after dropping the spell.

"You okay pup?" Sirius asked as Harry got to his feet slowly.

"The ghost of the blood traitor, how amusing," Draco frowned at Sirius.

"If I was still alive, you'd be dead for that Malfoy," Sirius scowled at him.

"Good thing you aren't alive then," Draco spat at the ghost.

"How nice to see family getting along," Harry coughed as he straightened up. "So, all this for torturing me?" Harry asked, waving his hands at the men with guns. "A bit low for you isn't it Draco, consorting with Muggles?" Harry baited him.

"Times change Harry, you'd be surprised what people will do for money, especially now that Galleons are accepted currency for Muggle banks," Draco frowned. "I'm going to make you and your mudblood friend the Minister, pay for what you did to our world Harry," Draco glared at him.

"What have you done to Hermione?" Harry asked sharply.

"You, the mudblood, and Shacklebolt, the three betrayers of our world," Draco sneered. "Cut off all the heads at once, the people will beg the purebloods to take control again," Draco lectured as he walked around Harry. "The best part is, I hired Muggles for all the attacking teams, I'm the only wizard, I wanted to make this personal Harry," Draco grinned as he stood behind Harry. "The wizards will turn on the Muggles, go back into hiding, the world will belong to the pure once again," Draco laughed. "I lied Harry," Draco grinned as he walked around and looked into his green eyes.

"You lie all the time Malfoy, it's an annoying family trait," Harry shot back. "You'll have to be a bit more specific, ferret," Harry glared at him.

"I lied when I said I wouldn't hurt anyone on the train," Draco looked past Harry to the train in disgust. "Once you're dead, the half breeds are next," Draco gestured at the train.

Harry groaned as he turned his head, seeing Teddy, Victoire, and Gabrielle watching through the door of the wreckage of his compartment. "I guess it's a good thing that I didn't trust you for shit Draco," Harry grinned at the blonde.

"What are you on about Potter?" Draco froze, keeping his wand trained on Harry. His eyes widened immediately as he felt something disillusion itself behind him. He whirled around sharply shouting. "Avada Kedavra!" he screamed, sending a shot of green light at the shape. "Avada Kedavra!" he shouted again, hitting it with a resounding clang, square in the chest. "What in the bloody hell…" Draco panicked and backpedaled, bumping into Harry.

"Say hello to my bodyguard James," Harry grinned and plucked the wand from Draco's hand. "Nice, I could always use another wand," Harry said as he pocketed it. "I call it the Gryffindor Mark Two," Harry smirked and pushed Draco forward.

Draco's eyes widened in fear as he watched it reach for him. It was a golem of some kind, a magical construct made of metal, nearly seven feet tall in the shape of a man, colored in that absurd Gryffindor red and gold, complete with the house crest in the middle of the chest. He cursed and struggled as it reached forward and lifted him by his robes. "How did you know to disillusion a bloody golem here Potter?" Draco stopped struggling and turned his head as much as he could to glare at Harry.

"I'm not a golem," the red and gold faceplate boomed, its eyes glowing green. "Flesh and blood under all of this," it glared as Draco started struggling again.

"Like I said Draco, this is my bodyguard, where I go, he goes, regardless of if you see him or not," Harry frowned. "Take them out fast, we need to get to the Ministry," Harry ordered.

"Gotcha boss," the voice replied, throwing Draco roughly to the ground, turning to the mercenaries. "Y' all are in for it now," the voice boomed as the suit lifted off the ground soundlessly. "Throw down your weapons or else," he ordered a moment before the men started firing at him.

Harry ducked down behind a tree, avoiding the ricochet of the bullets off of James. James rose up in the air, scanning the men that were firing at him. "Ya picked the wrong people to mess with," James threatened before a shockwave of energy leapt from his hands and shattered the guns as it impacted them. "Don't even try to run," he laughed as the men did the opposite. "I was hoping they'd do that," he muttered before flying after them, herding them into a group, and then hitting them with another wave of energy, knocking them out. "Boss, sensors are saying a portkey just went off," he turned back to Harry who looked to where they left Draco, finding the ground empty.

"Bloody wonderful, we don't have time to track it, we need to get to the Ministry, Malfoy sent teams there and probably to Auror command too," Harry frowned and checked his watch as Teddy rushed out to meet him, with the girls following behind. "You guys okay?" Harry asked as Teddy gripped him in a hug.

"What's going on Harry, what is that?" Teddy frowned at the metal man.

"Sirius will fill you in while I'm gone," he jerked his head at the ghost. "I have to go save the Ministry and Aurors apparently. Long story short, this is James, my bodyguard. What you see, is the Gryffindor Mark 2 armor suit, a project known only to myself, Sirius, and the pilot," Harry patted Teddy on the back and walked over to James.

"I would have heard something about this…" Gabrielle frowned.

"Not if it was only Sirius and I working on it in my private lab space, now once again, I have to go, saving Hermione and all," he snorted and grabbed James by the arm. "You've never been there and we don't have time to configure the coordinates," he explained as the red and gold head nodded. "Hold on tight and make sure to record the wave form so you can get your transportation matrix working," Harry lectured as the others looked on in shock.

"Get going pup, I'll watch the kids," Sirius ordered as Harry and James disappeared in a thundering crack, leaving him alone with Teddy, Gabrielle, and Victoire.

**-------------------------------**

Minister Hermione Weasley was in a meeting with her brother in law Percy when the alarms sounded and the Ministry building shuddered. "Code 16? What the bloody hell is a Code 16?" Hermione frowned as she pulled out the small handbook she always carried with her. "Oh wonderful, we're under attack," she slammed the book shut and waved her wand, sealing the door to her office. "Percy, check the Floo," she ordered the older man around and tried to raise Kingsley on her office phone.

"It's out Minister, whatever those blasts were probably knocked it offline," Percy jerked around as several loud noises thudded against her office door.

"Phone lines were damaged too," she frowned as she examined a small mirror on her desk. "Percy, away from the door please, we need to flip my desk and use it as cover," she ordered as she handed him the mirror and carefully flipped the desk with a spell.

"Muggle weapons? What's going on?" Percy stared at the mirror in confusion. "How did they get past the wards, no one is supposed to be able to bring any weapons past the lobby," he frowned as the door began to creak under pressure.

"Worry about that later Percy, in case you didn't notice, they are heavily armed and trying to break down the door," Hermione lectured like he was her husband, planning how she wanted to defend the office. "We just need to maintain, the Aurors will be on the way momentarily," she crossed her fingers as the door finally cracked open and she and Percy fired spells out the doorway.

Ten minutes later, Hermione was busy holding one hand over Percy's wounded midsection and using every trick she could think of to delay the men trying to get into her office. "Where are the bloody Aurors…" she swore as she levitated a grenade back through the door, falling to the ground as she caught a piece of shrapnel to her wand arm, losing her hold on the piece of wood. She cried out as she hit the ground.

"She's down, get them!" one of the men shouted as they broke down the last of her conjured barriers.

"Sorry Percy," Hermione grimaced as she looked around trying to find her wand. Her heart was pounding in her head so hard; all she could focus on was the piece of wood lying on the floor a few feet in front of her, at the feet of the closest mercenary.

"I don't think so lady," the man kicked the wand away and pointed his rifle at her. "Nothing personal, just a job," he scowled as he pulled the trigger.

Hermione closed her eyes as she saw him pull the trigger, thinking of her family. She opened her eyes a crack a moment later when she realized she was not dead. The bullet was frozen in the air in front of her, spinning in the air, but not moving forward. "What the…" she stopped as the wall that made up the back of her office crumbled into dust. She stared in shock as Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the mercenaries.

Her jaw hung open as she took in the other figure with Harry. It was a seven foot tall golem made of metal, the base of the metal appeared to be a red color, with yellow boots, gloves, face, and jagged yellow zigzags on the sides of its torso, complete with a Gryffindor emblem in the middle of the chest. "Harry, golems are regulated, you need a license," she said automatically as the golem examined Percy and pressed its hand to his chest.

"It's not a golem, it's my bodyguard, there's a man in there," Harry explained quickly as Percy's bleeding slowed enough for him to be moved. "Help me Hermione, we need to get out of the way," Harry ordered as Hermione snapped into action and helped move the stabilized Percy back towards where her wall used to be.

"Screw it, they fired and set off the safeguard, they don't get to surrender," the metallic voice spoke as James walked towards the closest mercenary, clanging loudly as he stepped over the stone floor. He reached back and swung his fist forward, the cracking sound signifying broken ribs at the least. The other men moved to fire at him but were hit immediately by a wave of energy and slammed into the walls violently. "All clear boss," he scanned the room carefully, picking bullet out of the air and letting it fall to the ground.

"You okay there Percy?" Harry asked as he examined the redhead. "Nah, doesn't look too bad now, that temporary job James hit you with should keep you going until we can get you to St. Mungo's," Harry commented as he poked at the wound.

"James?" Hermione frowned at Harry, keeping her gaze on the red and gold suit of metal.

"That would be me Minister Weasley," the suit nodded and caught Hermione as she fainted.

**---------------------------**

"Black, open up this door right now, or swear to Merlin, you will be exorcised by the end of the week," Kingsley threatened the ghost as he tried to force his way into Harry's office.

"Take it easy Kingsley, we're not leaving until we get our answers," Hermione said as she sipped her tea and continued writing down questions for Harry.

Gabrielle busy cursing at Sirius, slipping into bouts of French mixed with English swearing. The ghost had to his credit, been ignoring the both of them and routinely going to check if Harry was ready. Finally the door opened on its own and Gabrielle pushed past Kingsley, stomping her way to where Harry was seated at his large desk and slapping him sharply across the face.

"What else have you been keeping secret?" she glared at him as he rolled his eyes and rubbed his jaw.

"Nice to see you too Gabrielle, Hermione, Shack," he frowned when he saw the notepad in Hermione's hand. "You all have questions, so I'll go over what happened and you can pester me to your heart's content after that, good?" he motioned for Gabrielle to sit down along with the others. "Fine, stand," he shrugged when she ignored him.

"The mercenaries hit the Express, Auror Command, and the Ministry itself all at once today; the ones attacking the train were accompanied by Draco Malfoy. It looks like the Death Eaters that left the country were trying to knock all three of us out at once," Harry explained. "Unfortunately Draco escaped as James was capturing the ones that attacked the Express, after that we rushed to the Ministry, saved the day, and reestablished contact with the crew at Auror command," he bit his lip before continuing.

"In regards to my special project, I cannot tell you much," he noted their looks. "The secrets of the project are known to myself, Sirius, and the pilot of the suit," Harry continued. "I called him James today, but that is just his cover name when he is in the suit doing his job, he will not be made available for questioning, anything you need to talk to him about can be directed to Sirius to screen and pass along," he said sternly. "In regards to the actual suit, no you can't look at it, no you can't study it. It is experimental at this stage still, that was the first combat situation it has been in and I had a hell of a time making sure it didn't overload while you kids were waiting for me."

"Why can't we talk to the pilot?" Hermione asked him.

"It's one of his conditions, no one can know it is him inside the suit," Harry conjured a cup of coffee and took a sip.

"How long have you been keeping it from me? I am supposed to be your assistant Harry," Gabrielle glared at him.

"Sirius and I built the prototype two years ago, we've been tinkering with it since then," Harry watched her face grow angrier.

"You built that, how did I not see any records of anything that would remotely be used to make a seven foot metal suit?" she glared at him.

"That would be me Gabrielle," Sirius grinned sheepishly in his ghost form. "What we did was order it in through the other departments and shift it over to Harry's lab when no one was looking, that way no one could figure out what we were doing," he explained. "Then I just went into the computer files and fixed them up so no one was the wiser in the middle of the night," the ghost admitted.

"How did you get the plans from Tony Stark?" Kingsley watched as Harry froze for a split second.

"Caught on the similarities, did you?" Harry smirked. "I talked to Tony a few months before we started the project, I liked what he did with the Iron Man suit, before SHIELD started regulating his use of it at least," Harry shrugged. "It doesn't take a genius to make a suit like this, being one helps, but it's not necessary. I didn't use his plans for the suit, the power source he uses for his suit on the other hand… that was given in a trade agreement for spell wavelength data," Harry pressed a button and a panel in the wall opened to reveal a screen full of numbers rapidly scrolling by.

"Pads, pull up the power output for the building here," Harry ordered as the screen slowed and showed the power output for the building. "We would have had to build multiple nuclear reactors just to keep my building powered; we were already draining an obscene amount of power from the grid here. I promised the Prime Minister that I'd find a solution, and I did. We built two reactors in the basements here, the building is self sufficient," Harry explained.

"We kept it from the public because it was what Mr. Stark wanted," Gabrielle frowned and sunk into a chair next to Hermione. "Releasing the Arc Reactor technology to the world at once would cause massive global destabilization of economies, we're planning on slowly introducing it over the next thirty or so years," she explained. "He's been developing spell control units like we have for various militaries and private enterprises, but the only groups with the Arc Reactors are Stark Enterprises and ourselves," she added.

"What I want to know is why Harry, and what would possess you to build that?" Hermione frowned. "I remember what happened to Stark after people learned about his suit," she paused, thinking back a few years in time. "The US government made him keep it locked up unless on a mission, or unless he told them he was taking it out," she frowned at Harry.

"Yes," Harry nodded.

"Harry, I can't let you just have someone running around in a weapon like that," Hermione stared at him.

"You're still mad about the whole Minister thing aren't you?" Harry smirked.

"Yes, and what was that spell that stopped the bullets in my office by the way?" she watched Harry carefully.

"New ward we designed, it is built to sense objects moving at high rates of speed, aka bullets," Harry nodded. "We put it in a few months ago, hoping we wouldn't have to test it like this," Harry explained.

"I am supposed to get all the paperwork from whatever you two do for security in the Ministry before you do it," she glared at Harry.

"Sirius," he raised an eyebrow at the ghost.

"First thing in the morning," Sirius frowned. "What's the use in having secret protective wards if we tell everyone…" he grumbled to himself for a minute.

"In regards to your bodyguard, I can't authorize an independent entity like that, I expect paperwork documenting your research in broad terms, documenting how I told you to do this on my desk in the morning so I can cover your asses on this," Hermione frowned as Harry and Sirius grinned at each other. "I want that bodyguard in my office at 8 AM with those papers tomorrow morning, I have a bloody press release to think up," she scowled as she got up. "And you are chaperoning the Halloween ball at Hogwarts for this stunt," she pointed at Harry. "And you are bringing your new friend and the ghost with you, or you are going to Azkaban," she finished as she walked towards the door.

"Love you too Hermione!" Sirius cheered as she left.


	7. Chapter 6: Agent Zero

**A/N: Time jumps a bit back and forth in this, just pay attention after the breaks.**

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 6: Agent Zero**

Hermione waited in her rebuilt office the day after the attack, watching the clock on her desk as it clicked closer to 8 AM. Her eye twitched a bit as it turned 7:58. "Ron, I am going to kill him if he crosses me on this," she glared at her husband, who took the day off of Quiddich to be with his wife after dropping their kids off at the Burrow with Molly.

"Come on now Hermione, you know Harry, he'll be on time…" Ron nervously glanced at his watch as it ticked closer and closer to 8 AM before a knock came at the door. "Thank god," he whispered as he got up and opened it a crack taking a peek before opening the whole way. "Bloody hell, you weren't kidding about that," Ron gawked as Sirius walked in along with the man in the red suit.

"Ron Weasley I take it?" the man extended a golden metal hand. "The boss has told me a lot about you," he laughed as Ron nervously shook his hand.

"The papers?" Hermione asked impatiently, holding out her hand.

"As you requested, Minister Weasley," James bowed a bit before a panel in his armor slid open and a thick folder of papers slid out. "Magically enhanced armor, don't ask," he cut her off as she looked at the slot in the arm of his armor carefully.

"Everything there will make what happened yesterday a plot we were waiting for, granting you the use of our boy here for whatever dangerous missions England, the World Federation or Wizards, or the UN deems necessary, so long as it is within reason," Sirius explained as Hermione flipped and scanned through the papers.

She stopped suddenly, feeling another headache coming on. "You can't honestly expect the people to call you this alias, can you?" she looked at the man in the metal suit.

"Was Harry's idea, he said we needed something better than 'that other Iron Man'," he shrugged. "I'm a Muggle, but I read the book you wrote, I don't see the big deal," he continued.

"I will not be calling you James Gryffindor in public, that will have Merlin knows how many people up in arms, even more than they will be already," she frowned as she waved her wand erasing part of the paperwork. "You'll be called Agent Zero in the field, is that satisfactory James?" she eyed the suit carefully.

"Not a problem Minister Weasley, I live to serve," he mock saluted. "Harry told me I have a bit of a saving people thing, said it's about time we put it to good use," he added as Hermione looked down and continued with the paperwork.

**-------------------------------**

"How many?" James asked as he examined the wall in front of him.

"Near as the intelligence says there are twelve wizards in there and an equal number of Muggles, if not more," Lee Jordan replied to his newest partner. Lee has risen through the Aurors following the purges that happened when Hermione took over and was one of the top Aurors on the Ministry payroll. He was slightly confused when Hermione had given him the job of working with what she called Agent Zero. Then he saw his partner and immediately Flooed his old friend George Weasley to come over and take a look.

The two poked and prodded James until he got tired of it and picked the both of them up by their ankles and threatened them. After that, Lee had trained with James every day for a couple hours until Kingsley decided to send them on their first mission together. "I can take down the wall, but it is going to take me a moment to get the targeting systems good enough to take the guns out, never mind the wands," James felt his hand along the wall thinking.

"Don't target them then?" Lee smirked. "What's the damage that pulse could do to a person if it hit them?" he twirled his wand in his hand.

"Nothing Skele-Grow can't fix," James nodded in agreement. "On three then?" he asked as he spread his hands over the walls, targeting the bricks and mortar with his sensors.

"Go nuts Zero, I'll get the wards up, then we can clean up," Lee patted him on the back and started waving his wand in the air. "One," he counted as he completed a rune in the air.

"Two," James continued as he finalized his targets in the computer system.

"Three!" Lee shouted as he finished the final rune for the anti-apparation ward as James disintegrated the wall at the same time. Lee dove behind the large metal body as some of the quicker draws got off some shots of bullets and spells before James got his pulse blast to activate. "Could you please fire faster next time?" Lee joked as he beat the dust off his clothes and examined the downed criminals.

"Could you read the files regarding my firing speed, or at least listen when I explain it to you?" James replied as he kicked a man in the midsection as he reached for a wand.

"Probably not, that would take the fun out of the job," Lee smirked as he found a briefcase against the far wall. "Hello, what do we have here," he smiled as he popped it open, revealing a cache of illegal potion ingredients. "Unicorn blood, Veela hair…" Lee stopped as he looked over the vials. "Where the bloody hell did they get Chimera blood?" he frowned as he examined a vial. "Merlin," he murmured as he looked over the rest of the vials. "Get Shack and the containment team here now, this is…this is not good," he ordered James who radioed in the signal.

**-------------------------------------**

"Today, several members of our joint Auror/Muggle team apprehended twenty six Muggles and Wizards in the midst of an exchange of outlawed materials in downtown London. The men were taken to Azkaban for holding until the time of their trial," Lee read the report in his face as he sat in Shacklebolt's office. "You're kidding right? This isn't even close to what we found, if what they had all that labeled as is right, then this is huge Shack!" he yelled at the older Auror.

"The labels were correct, I ran some scans before the containment team got there," James replied from his place by the fireplace. "Those last warded vials were Uranium if my scans were correct, and they always are," he mused as he looked at the fireplace. "This is bigger than potions ingredients and guns," he looked up at Shacklebolt.

"Be that as it may, both Ministries have signed off on this story, so you will go along with it in public, you have any problems, take it up with the Ministers," Kingsley ordered. "We have the best men around interrogating them, we'll find the truth about what they are up to," he rubbed his head behind his desk. "You two did good today, you work well together," he looked at Lee. "I'm recommending that Minister Weasley sign off to permanently stick the two of you together on missions that are deemed in the range of needing to use him," he pointed at James. "James Gryffindor, Agent Zero, whatever your real name is, I don't care," he paused and pulled out some glasses and poured three drinks. "You both did good, keep it up," he raised his glass as the three of them drank together, the mouth slit of James' suit opening more than usual to allow the liquid to enter.

**------------------------------------------------**

"You kept something like that from me," Gabrielle frowned at Harry as she met with him the day after the attack on the train. "I helped you build this company and you kept that from me," she glared at him.

"Gabrielle, I really don't want to hear you lecture me about it, Merlin knows I get enough lecturing about everything I do from Hermione and Molly as it is now," Harry brushed her off as he tapped away at his computer on his desk as he ate breakfast. "To be fair, there was a reason to keep it all a secret," he added as he bit into his toast.

"And what possible reason could you have Harry, haven't I proven trustworthy?" she stared a hole into his head.

"You misunderstand me Gabrielle, I was doing it to keep you and the company safe," he explained as he watched her eyes grow wide. "I never planned on revealing the project at all, it just happened and we had to roll with it," Harry shrugged. "We can't close Pandora's Box now, we just need to do what we can to make sure we land on our feet," he scratched at his head.

"The Minister said she'd cover for you?" Gabrielle asked, relaxing a bit, sipping her morning tea.

"Oh yeah, Hermione acts all tough, but she knows her boundaries," Harry smiled. "She acts furious in front of anyone and everyone that watches, but she'd give up her position in a minute to spend a day in our labs here," he laughed. "She can't come out and say she's okay with what I am doing, but she hasn't gone and had me arrested yet, has she?" he eyed Gabrielle carefully.

"Tell me what it can do," she relaxed as Harry smiled and began explaining his creation.

**--------------------------------------**

"I wonder if I talked to a lawyer, if I'd have a case for some kind of copyright infringement here," Tony Stark mused as he stood on the bridge of the SHIELD helicarrier with the faceplate of his armor retracted.

"Very funny," James replied shaking his head. "To be fair, these are school colors," he chuckled. "What's the mission?" he asked as Tony pointed at the large display monitor in front of him.

"Nothing too crazy, SHIELD and the UN want a better gauge of your abilities before they start putting you on some peace keeping missions," Tony explained as he touched the screen and it changed. "Just some local warlords with some weapons caches," he pointed to several highlighted areas on the map. "The UN wants them taken out before they can be used against peacekeepers," he zoomed in on the targets. "Nothing too crazy, some surface to air missiles, machine guns, a minefield next sector over, should be easy," he watched as James studied the screen.

"Any magic users?" James asked.

"Not that we could discern, had the Auror representative take a look and didn't see any wards, so I think it's just run of the mill bombs and guns," Tony smirked as the other man nodded in agreement. "We'll hit the main camp together, one on each side, then split up, you get the western cache, I'll go take out the northern, sound good?" he asked as the faceplate slid over his eyes.

"Not a problem, radio channels synched up?" James asked as he and Tony ran last minute diagnostics.

"Roger, after this mission, I want to see your face though, see who you are," Tony motioned at the techs that opened a large panel in the ceiling. "Not fair that everyone on the planet knows what I do in my free time, I'd like to know who I am working with."

"On one condition, same condition I have with Marauder International, no one finds out who I am," he said before he shot up out of the room into the sky.

**A/N: I know people are hating on Hermione, but look at it from where I am writing from. She's the Minister of Magic (and the magic/Muggle worlds are more or less integrated at this point, if some of you did not realize that), she can't go around endorsing him, regardless of how much she likes him and agrees with what he is doing, but she doesn't have to stop him either. In regards to Gabrielle, she was the first person hired by the company if you missed that earlier, she's been with Harry a while and has a right to be mad, not to mention whatever underlying sexual tension there is. **

**In regards to Malfoy escaping…there is a reason, besides the obvious one that I need the villain free to be out there running amok. And in regards to Harry just taking all the abuse from the ladies, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.**

**Now that we have all the anger towards Hermione out of the way, time for your little preview of the next chapters: Harry's fun with chaperoning, the man behind the mask (James Gryffindor) revealed, a more technical explanation of the suit itself, and chaos in Marauder International.**


	8. Chapter 7: All Hallows

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 7: All Hallows**

"I hate this holiday," Harry frowned in his office, looking over the simple white mask before sticking it magically to his face. He attached the dark cape, rolling his eyes in the mirror at his Phantom of the Opera costume, before heading to the kitchen. "Not a word," he glared at Sirius who was holding back a chuckle.

"Awww, you don't like playing dress up?" the ghost laughed, playing with his own pirate costume.

"It's a bad idea, you are going to attract unwanted attention at the very least," Harry scowled, pulling glass out and pouring himself a drink.

"You're the one that wanted to be all cloak and dagger about things," the ghost shrugged. "Besides, me and Gabrielle outvoted you on this, so just suck it up," he added. "The only one who's going to catch on is Hermione, and you voluntarily filling her in on it when she asks, and you know she will, should help make her a little less angry," Sirius mused.

"Right, she's done so well dealing with my secret projects so far…" Harry groaned drinking down the alcohol.

"You could always slip her some booze." Sirius shrugged.

**-------------------------------**

"Well, we don't have to worry about people noticing me," Sirius smirked as he followed Harry and Gabrielle through the main gate of Hogwarts. Harry was irate underneath his mask, not even bothering to hide it, he hated going out and doing public appearances, he would have rather been in a lab working on something. Gabrielle on the other hand, being part Veela, loved the spotlight. The one thing she seemed to like more was dragging Harry into the public eye against his wishes. She was dressed in a silver dress that showed off a lot of skin, or would have if she has not let part of her Veela powers out to grow a set of soft white feathers scattered over her entire body, minus the hands and face.

Sirius slipped off, leaving the two of them alone to do a meet and greet with McGonagall and Hermione. He wasn't actually invited, it probably something to do with how every time he came with Harry on the start of year trips the students and Peeves found themselves with George Weasley's shop. He floated through the halls, carefully turning his face away when he passed by Filch until he came to the Gryffindor tower and walked through the painting of the Fat Lady.

He stuck his head out of the wall slightly, making sure no teachers were present before emerging from the wall. "Arrr! Surrender the booty, ye land lubbers!" he shouted loudly running at a figure on the couch.

Teddy was shocked for a second when he heard the voice and saw the ghost running at him, but rolled his eyes as Sirius ran right through him. "Very original Sirius," he smirked as Sirius looked offended at his lack of a reaction. "Harry snuck you in then?" he asked as he fidgeted with his own scarecrow costume.

Sirius nodded and settled onto the couch, floating an inch above the cushions, pretending he was sitting. He raised his eyebrow at Teddy's costume, something itching at the back of his mind. "What are you wearing?" he asked after another moment.

"Shut it Pads, not one word," Teddy glared at him.

Sirius frowned a second before something clicked in his head. "A scarecrow?" he grinned wildly. "I need to tell Harry to get some pictures, this is going to be hilarious," he busted out laughing as Teddy blushed and threw a pillow at him. After a few minutes of poking fun at Teddy, he stopped when he heard someone clearing their voice behind him.

"Leave him alone, or I will sic Aunt Gabrielle on you," Victoire ordered as Sirius turned, taking in her costume of a blue checkered dress and pigtails. He held in his laughs for a few seconds before losing control and screaming with laughter as he drifted through the floor.

**----------------------------------------**

"Mr. Potter, Miss Delacour, how nice to see both of you again," Minerva McGonagall greeted them as they made their way to the head table which had been replaced with a large oval table for the dance. "I want to thank you for your help with the attack on the train," she continued as she gave each of them a quick hug.

"No problem Professor McGonagall, it we didn't really do anything," Harry looked uncomfortable.

"Harry, I haven't been your teacher for almost twenty years now," she reminded him, looking out into the hall as students began arriving. "I must say Miss Delacour, you seem to have the attention of most of the male students," she watched as Gabrielle turned and examined the students as they trickled in, laughing as several girls had to hit boys to get their attention.

"I went for a simple costume, they can deal with it, the Veela charm comes and goes, nothing to worry about," she smiled. "It is always fun playing with the boys like that, Harry is the only one who I can turn the charm on full and not get a reaction," she commented as Harry jerked his head to look at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked suddenly.

"You were always resistant to the charm," she patted his arm. "I let go a few times over the years and it never even fazed you," she added. "It takes a strong magical core to resist a Veela like that," she explained.

"Bloody wonderful," Harry frowned to himself and excused himself as his assistant and the Headmaster caught up on things, pulling a flask from his clothes and taking a long drink. He walked around looking for a familiar face until he felt someone wrap their arms around him from behind in a bone crushing hug. "Need to breathe Haggrid," he wheezed as he was released. "You're kidding, right?" he groaned as he caught his breath, taking in the costume the Groundskeeper had on.

"Naw, was my idea, but I got Teddy and Rose to give me a hand enchanting one of the suits of armor from the third floor," he explained from behind one of the castle's suits of armor that had been enlarged and colored red and gold. "Don't be telling the Headmistress though, she's been having a fit, thinking someone stole it," he whispered loudly, pulling the armor's visor up.

"Got the chest emblem wrong," Harry rolled his eyes, pulling the wand he stole from Draco out and waving it, changing the Gryffindor crest in the center of the chest slightly. "So, how's the old school been Haggrid?" Harry asked as the two of them walked off to the closest wall to get out of the way.

"As well as can be expected with this many Weasleys running around, they keep giving Filch fits, somehow keep sneaking all sorts of WWW products in," Haggrid laughed. "The kids were scared out of their little minds after that business on the train, they kept looking to Teddy for an explanation, being Head Boy and living with you of course," he watched as Harry frowned and pulled out the flask, taking a drink and passing it.

"The suit is a bloody failsafe, a worst case scenario," Harry punched the wall in anger. "It was never meant to be used like this, it was just to make sure nothing like Voldemort ever happened again," Harry took the flask back from Haggrid, taking a drink.

"I believe ya Harry," Haggrid smiled as he patted the younger man on the back. "Hide the flask," he said sharply as he shielded Harry from view for a second. "Headmistress McGonagall, wearing the family tartan I see?" he greeted her warmly.

"Yes, and I had better see that armor back where it belongs in the morning, understood?" she shook her head at the Groundskeeper. "Honestly Haggrid, you are a part of the staff, act like an adult," she scolded him. "Harry, the Minster will be arriving momentarily, we are expected at the head table," she explained. "Come along," she took him by the arm and led him away.

**---------------------------------**

"Hermione, Ron, good to see you," Harry greeted his old friends in matching Cannons uniforms, taking his seat at the table with Ron in between him and Hermione. "How has Rose been handling her first year?" Harry asked uncomfortably.

"She says she's doing well in all her owls, but is a bit angry about the no first years on Quiddich team rule, tried to sneak into the tryouts till Teddy caught her," Ron laughed. "She hexed him good for that, reading ahead and studying at home was good for something," he bit his lip in pain as Hermione stomped on his foot.

"She studies at home so she can do well here, just because the two of you never put your minds to studying for school," she stopped when Harry held up his finger for her to be quiet.

"To be fair, we were kids then. And I believe I have made up my study time in spades since then," Harry frowned. "The follies of youth," he shrugged. "Can't go back and change that now," he added.

"Sure you can, you can build bloody time-turners," Hermione watched him carefully.

"And my contacts for those resources have since dried up, I believe you fined them or threw them in Azkaban," he paused, pulling out his flask. "I had to try," he shrugged before taking a drink and passing it to Ron. "To old times mate," he smiled as Ron took a drink and offered it to Hermione.

"What is it?" she sniffed the opening.

"Firewhisky," Harry grinned as she gritted her teeth.

"You brought Firewhisky to a school function?" she frowned.

"We are adults you know, no need to treat it like it's something bad," Harry smirked as he watched her trying to empty the flask into a glass she conjured. She stopped pouring as the glass got full and pulled the flask to her lips, taking a drink of what was left. "Yes, it's bottomless," he nodded as she handed it back over to him.

"You are sleeping on the couch if you get drunk Ronald," she sighed as her husband congratulated Harry and filled some of his own glass.

**-----------------------------------**

After dinner had been served the adults watched as the student tables slid to the sides of the hall and music began to play. "What did Rose come as?" Ron asked as he and the others tried to pick out their respective kids.

"She's over there, near the back," Hermione pointed and waved at their daughter who was dressed like the Wicked Witch of the West.

"Ugly costume," Ron flinched as she hit him in the arm. "What did Teddy come as?" he asked Harry as they continued to look over the crowd.

"No idea, hell I didn't even know this was a costume event until this morning," he scratched his head as he tried to pick the boy out, figuring he was with Victoire wherever he was.

"Do you even bother to read the reports I give you?" Gabrielle frowned at him. "I told you about this a dozen times," she bit back a laugh when she recognized Victoire.

"Sirius distracts me…" he muttered as he watched the crowd.

"Don't bring me into this," Sirius responded from behind the group. "Hey there kids," he smiled beneath his Jack Sparrow get up. "Come on Harry, look for Victoire, you'll love it when you see it," he pointed to a section on the floor.

Harry watched carefully until he spotted Victoire's smile. He covered his face in his hands as he laughed uncontrollably. "Pads, get pictures, please," he choked out as his eyes teared up.

"Gotcha boss, come on Ron, Gab, we got some kids to embarrass," he laughed as he floated away, leading the others with him.

"Something you want to say Hermione?" Harry asked as he sipped form his flask, watching Sirius and the others terrorize Teddy and his girlfriend.

"You won't give me a straight answer, so why bother?" she shot back as she saw Sirius lift Teddy's hat from his head and run away with it. "How in the bloody hell did…" her jaw dropped. "Ghosts can't…poltergeist maybe…but that doesn't fit…" she mumbled to herself.

"You never did get in touch with me for that appointment, you know," he commented as he leaned back in his chair.

"What?" she stammered as she looked to her old friend.

"Before I took you to see the Queen, I told you to call me, owl me, anything. I wanted to share some of the things we did, some of the things we discovered, but you never did," he shook his head.

"I was busy cleaning up the mess you made," she watched his eyes. "I'm still cleaning up the corruption and Death Eaters, not to mention the international backlash for destroying the Statute," she frowned as he closed his eyes. "I have been bending every law in that blasted building to keep you out of Azkaban," she added before taking a gulp of her own drink.

"I know," he smiled. "Why do you think I keep hinting at all the different laws we're breaking?" he asked her. "Between Sirius covering our tracks on the outside and you on the inside, I know how far I can push it," he chuckled.

"And you thought Zero was not going over the line?" she rolled her eyes at him.

"No, that was an experiment that was not meant to ever be seen by the public," he frowned and watched the crowd, ignoring Hermione.

"Fine, I bite, what's the deal with Sirius?" she asked after a minute of uncomfortable silence.

"You're smart, see if you can figure it out," Harry laughed as he took off his mask, tossed it on the table and put his feet up, drawing a glare from McGonagall.

"He is dead, right?" she asked as he nodded. "He's not a ghost though, nor a poltergeist neither can change their appearances, and ghosts cannot move things," she watched as Sirius gave back Teddy's hat and Gabrielle took pictures of them together with Ron. "It's something else…" she looked back to Harry.

"Something I would have explained to you year ago if you asked me," Harry nodded. "You can come by the lab sometime and see it more, but we call it hard light," Harry explained. "What you see as Sirius, is nothing but a hologram projected magically from a device on me, it has a range of five hundred meters or so," he watched as her eyes grew wide. "The talking is a magical projection of Sirius' own voice responding to what he relays through my device," he watched as Hermione took a big drink.

"How does your device record what he sees and hears?" she eyed Harry carefully.

"One of our other projects that will never see the market, it's a modified Marauder's Map that literally sees and hears people in places we have mapped, he's controlling it back in London, sending his voice through an altered Sonorus charm," he explained.

"How is he touching people?" she gave in, watching her friend. "Better yet, why are you telling me all this now?" she questioned.

"I'm telling you so you'll trust me again, and do me a favor or two maybe," Harry shrugged. "He's not really touching people, whenever he wants to 'touch' someone, he's channeling mild summoning and banishing charms at the area simulating physical contact," he explained as Hermione worked through the magic in her mind.

"How do the controls work?" she asked curiously.

"I'll show you if you come to my lab tomorrow. I'll show you that and the map, but I need two things from you in return," he rolled his eyes as she glared at him. "It's nothing illegal this time," he added.

"What do you want from me?" she questioned as Ron, Gabrielle, and Sirius had made their way back to the pair of them.

"I need you to get Gryffindor off of missions, the suit is not stable and it is seriously damaging the suit's power supply and stability, the thing is a bloody prototype," he huffed as Gabrielle sat down next to him.

"I'll think about it, get me some proof," she watched as he shifted uncomfortably. "What is the other favor?" she asked as he mumbled something. "What was that?" she asked, not understanding what he said.

"I don't want to talk about it here," he looked away at the kids dancing.

"Well I do," Hermione grabbed his arm.

"I am not talking about it here, come see me tomorrow," he brushed Hermione away and got up, walking out to see Teddy.

"What got him all riled up?" Ron asked as Harry gave Teddy a hug and walked toward the exit, stopping, looking back at Sirius.

"Bloody hell, I have to go," Sirius frowned. "Come see him tomorrow, we need you and Gab to look at one of our more sensitive projects, we need a fresh set of eyes," he explained.

"What project?" Gabrielle asked.

"He's dying, we slowed it down, but we can't stop it, and it's getting worse, just come tomorrow, please," Sirius sighed before disappearing as Harry disapparated from inside the Great Hall with a loud crack.

**A/N: Okay, I lied, no revealing of who's behind the mask right now. Next chapter, I swear. The way I wanted to do it in this chapter never really gelled as I wrote the chapter. But it will happen in the next chapter, trust me! For those wanting to know why Hermione is so mad at Harry all the time, finally some answers as she goes inside the business next chapter. And for those trying to figure out who the man in the mask is…so close, yet so far.**


	9. Chapter 8: Business is Booming

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 8: Business Is Booming**

"Good morning, glad to see you guys could make it," Sirius greeted Ron and Hermione outside Harry's house, which doubled as the headquarters for Marauder International. It was in an upscale part of downtown London, a simple red brick two story house with an iron fence. At least that is what it was like before Harry dropped the glamour on the house when he made Marauder International public. The building had kept its homey brick exterior, but had grown into a ten story building from the outside; the inside was magically expanded to an unknown degree. Sirius waved at the gates after he let Hermione and Ron through, causing them to clang shut and surge with energy signifying the wards.

"Sorry for the security, but you know how we keep it here, no one gets in without Harry signing off on it," he apologized as he walked them to the front door. "Welcome to out humble abode," he smiled as the door opened into a plain room with several doors and fireplaces. "This way," he motioned as he led them to a door and stopped. "Kitchen, authorization Padfoot," he said loudly. The door flashed blue and then clicked and swung open. "Hey there Gab, Dobby," Sirius greeted the blonde and house elf as he led the Weasleys into the kitchen.

"Good morning Hermione, Ronald," Gabrielle greeted them as Dobby ushered them to their seats for breakfast.

"Still mad at me?" Sirius cocked his head to the side. Gabrielle ignored him as she continued eating. "Guess so, see you at the lab, Harry wants you to give them the full tour before you bring them there, have fun," Sirius shrugged before walking off into a wall.

"Thank you Dobby," Hermione smiled at the elf as he served them a Hogwarts worthy breakfast. "What's this about the full tour?" she asked between bites as Ron dug into the food with his usual abandon.

"I'll give you a brief overview of our major divisions here and answer as many questions as I can, then we will go and check in with Harry at his private lab," she said with disgust. "The lab where they've been keeping their secrets," she threw down her fork in disgust.

"You didn't know anything about Harry's problem?" Hermione asked.

"I didn't even know about the blasted suit," Gabrielle replied coldly. "Before we go out to the labs, you'll need to swear on your magic not to reveal what you see to people who can use it against the company," she handed them copies of the oath and waited for them to swear to it. "Once you finish eating, we can be on our way," Gabrielle nodded, hating being a tour guide.

**----------------------------------**

"You really sure this is a good idea Harry?" Sirius asked as Harry fiddled with the Gryffindor suit. "I mean, Gabrielle is more pissed than I have ever seen her before, she made them take the oath, but she is going to do something to get back at me and you, I can feel it," Sirius complained.

"Marauder sense tingling?" Harry joked as he closed the panel he was working on. "She's got a right to be mad, I mean, she's vice-president of the company and all," Harry coughed and settled back into his chair.

"I thought I was vice-president?" Sirius asked.

"You don't even get paid Pads, how could you be a vice-president," Harry joked.

**-------------------------------------**

"First stop, medical division," Gabrielle led them out of the kitchen back to the main entrance. "Medical research wing B, authorization Gab," she spoke to a door before it clicked open and they entered.

"Gab?" Ron asked from behind as Hermione and Gabrielle walked ahead of him.

"One of many downsides to living with children in adult or ghostly bodies," she frowned. "Harry has final authorization over the computer systems, and Sirius…well he is the computer systems," she shrugged and led them past several darkened labs before finding one that was occupied. "Here, need to keep a clean room," she ordered as they entered a small airlock that cleansed them of contagions and dressed them in plain white sterile clothes, caps, and mouth guards.

"Hello Mr. Finnigan," Gabrielle greeted the startled man.

"Seamus?" Ron laughed at his former dorm mate's shocked expression.

"Miss Delacour!" he froze as he recognized Ron and Hermione under their sterile clothes. "Are we being raided by the Ministry?" he asked quietly, going pale.

"No Mr. Finnigan, they are here by request by Mr. Potter. I am giving them a tour," she snorted. "They are under oaths, they cannot divulge anything they see to someone that would use it to hurt the company," she explained, calming the man down.

"Thank god," he relaxed. "Good to see you again Ron, Hermione," he put down his papers and shook their hands. "Why'd you bring them to my lab?" he asked Gabrielle.

"First one we came to, go about your business like normal," she ordered as he went back to work. "These are our medical research labs," she explained to Ron and Hermione as Seamus went to work examining something under a microscope. "This is where our people work to come up with advances to cure magical or Muggle maladies," she frowned when Gabrielle interrupted her.

"Like the cancer and lycanthropy cures and the hundreds of medicines and salves that have made you billions?" Hermione butted in.

"To be fair, we sell the cancer, lycanthropy, and that new spinal injury drug at less than half of what they cost to make, most of the other serious drugs go for cost too," Seamus pointed out from behind his microscope. "The reason why all the salves and non-essential meds cost so much is because they are better than the alternatives and we need to recoup our losses," he pushed away from the microscope, rubbing at his eyes.

"But…" Hermione's jaw dropped.

"The medical division here is the least profitable area of the company Hermione," Gabrielle explained as Seamus pulled Ron aside, showing him the lab and catching up on old times. "We put dozens of Muggles and Magicals through extensive training before they are put to work here, paying for any other schooling that is required," Gabrielle explained as she pulled out her PDA and hit some buttons. "Once on projects, we lose a great deal of money until the final products reach the market," she showed the screen to Hermione. "This is the status of Mr. Finnigan's project right now, monetarily," she smirked when Hermione gasped.

"Oi, what they talking about mate?" Ron asked as he caught the tail end of the conversation.

"They're talking about my project, I'm working on a way to fix multiple sclerosis, my ma came down with it after I graduated Hogwart's," Seamus frowned. "No cure for it in the magical world at the time, so I went off to school, was polishing off my doctorate in biochemistry and all when Harry tossed Malfoy out on his arse," he smirked. "Was here the week after that to see if I could get a job, and here I am now," he shrugged. "Been working on this bloody disease for the last four years, still coming up zeroes," he sighed.

"Never figured you to be the brainy type," Ron chuckled at his old schoolmate.

"Yeah, well when my ma got sick," he shrugged. "I had to grow up fast," he walked away from Ron, heading to a computer terminal. "Ninety million dollars, over the last four years, that's what I've wasted," he looked back at Hermione. "That's where the money from the overpriced medicines that fix up people's inconvenient little broken bones, dirty STDs, hangovers, and acne goes. I'd be grateful if ye quit trying to make us out to be bunch of money loving bastards," he shouted at her.

"That's enough Seamus," Gabrielle motioned to Ron and started ushering them to the door.

"That's not bloody enough, we could be making billions more if we raised prices a little," his face grew red as he got up from his chair. "We could be making more of a difference, instead we get painted a bunch of greedy bastards by her Ministry," he pointed at Hermione.

"We didn't know, Harry never filed a detailed report on the company's spending and profits," Hermione was shocked as Gabrielle continued to push them away from the angry Finnigan.

"The hell does it bloody matter? We don't need to be painted as fucking saints, we know what we're doing…" he was cut off and he continued yelling through the door at them as they left the airlock, back in normal clothes.

"Is everyone…mad at the Ministry?" Hermione swallowed as Seamus flipped her off and closed the blinds to his lab.

"Just a bit," Gabrielle answered truthfully. "Between the financial inquiries, allegations of smuggling, and you having Harry arrested half a dozen times for things that technically did not break Ministry laws, you aren't on the good list for most people here," Gabrielle explained.

"Why didn't Harry just come out and say what he was doing with all the money? No one would care then, hell, they'd probably send in donations," Ron looked down the hall as several people pointed at them and ran into a lab.

"Minister Granger?" Gabrielle watched the brunette carefully.

"He hates the fame. He doesn't want to be seen as the hero anymore," her brow furrowed as she thought of something. "He's deliberately leading us to investigate him, trying to drive the people away," she watched as Gabrielle smiled and continued their tour.

**--------------------------------------**

"You'll like this next section Ron," Gabrielle smiled as she activated a door to Charm Research Labs, section 5.

"Bloody hell…" Ron stammered as he walked through the halls, peering through the windows into each of the labs.

"Brooms?" Hermione shook her head after peeking in the first window she passed by. "I didn't know you guys planned on jumping into the broom market," she laughed when she saw Ron pull open a door and go into a lab that had a figure moving around in it.

"Oh, we are already very involved in the market," Gabrielle kept walking. "Once Harry graduated and had the combined Potter and Black fortunes, he started making some very smart investments," Gabrielle pulled the door open and ushered Hermione into the room.

"Investments helped by his illegal usage of a time turner no doubt," Hermione scowled.

"Don't ask, don't tell," Gabrielle shrugged as a man in black robes came over and greeted them.

"Good to see you again Gabrielle, you too Hermione," he said in a thick accent.

"Victor?" Hermione was shocked when she recognized him. "I thought you were still on the Bulgarian National Team?" she greeted him warmly.

"No, I retired this past summer, Quiddich is not a game for old men," he laughed. "I was showing your husband the new prototype I'm working on," he pointed up to the ceiling which was conspicuously absent as several forms flew past every now and then. "This floor is charmed and expanded more than the others, the hallways have ceilings, but all labs are open to the testing grounds above us, it is the size of a professional Quiddich pitch, giving us room to test most brooms," he explained as Ron zoomed down on a broom, his hair and clothes messed up from the flying.

"Bloody amazing!" he exclaimed as he handed Krum the broom back and gave Hermione a bone crushing hug. "That broom is amazing Hermione, its loads faster than the ones we had on the Cannons, even the seeker brooms," he explained like a little kid.

"It is going to be the newest model in the Firebolt series, probably the 7000 if I can get it working in the next few months," Victor examined the broom and set it on a table where it floated. "As near as I can determine from my tests, it is 7% faster than the current brooms used by professional seekers and accelerates a hair faster as well. The only problems I am still working around are the braking and safety features, they still cut out if you push it to the maximum speeds," he frowned as he watched some numbers tick by on a small panel on the table.

"Harry owns the Firebolt series of brooms?" Ron's jaw dropped.

"As well as the Comet series, the Cleansweeps, the family transport Pegasus series, the cargo Goliath Series, and the racing series Blink," Gabrielle listed the different brooms on her fingers as she ticked them off. "The companies work separate of Marauder International for the most part, unless one of our researches has an idea, the only people that know we own them work here or are the CEOs we have in place to run the companies," she explained.

"He…all of them…that's most of the brooms out there…" Ron was stunned.

"83 percent of the market, to be exact," Gabrielle nodded. "There is some foreign competition and Stark Enterprises has some experimental brooms coming up in the next few months, if our information is correct," she watched as Victor waved his wand so he could visualize the charms on the broom.

"Very interesting," Hermione moved closer and examined the charms. "What is that?" she frowned, not recognizing one of the charms.

"Just a simple air displacement charm to increase maneuverability, it displaces the air enough to thin the air without making the rider pass out from lack of air," Victor explained. "The problem is, that the charm does not work well with the braking and safety features, so I have to keep playing with it," he shrugged.

"Come along, we have some more too see before we meet with Harry," Gabrielle nodded and helped Hermione drag Ron from the Broom labs.

**------------------------------**

"Next stop, top floor, the greenhouses and astronomy center," Gabrielle led them through another door into a steamy greenhouse. "We keep most of the rarer plants here, we the common plants and potion ingredients made offsite at one of our supply companies," she explained as she led them along, looking for someone.

"Fake companies, like with the brooms?" Hermione asked.

"They're not technically fake, they just don't know we own them for the most part," Gabrielle waved when she caught a flash of movement. "I believe you know our lead Herbologist," she said as the familiar form of Neville Longbottom came over.

"Neville…but you're the Herbology professor at Hogwarts," Hermione frowned, noticing a thin chain around his neck under his shirt.

"Well…about that…" he fumbled with his words, looking to Gabrielle for help.

"It's okay, they're under oath, they can't use it against us," she nodded.

"Oh thank Merlin, Gran would have killed me if I got arrested," he sighed, flashing Hermione a view of the time-turner on the chain. "I teach my morning classes at Hogwarts, turn back five hours, come do some work here, then go back for lunch and the rest of my classes, Harry limits my time-turner use, so I can only work here 25 hours or so a week during the school year," Neville shrugged.

"How many other people does he have running around working here using time-turners?" Hermione felt a headache as she questioned Gabrielle.

"Just a couple here and there, most of them are teachers at Muggle Universities or work in the public eye," Gabrielle told her. "Their turners are all limited and need replaced every 100 turns, the turner you are worried about was destroyed years ago, before Harry put you in power," she noticed Hermione look relieved. "Neville, give them the tour, short version please, and then bring them to the observatory, I'll be waiting," she ordered.

Hermione and Ron followed Neville as he explained how he worked with many of the more dangerous and rare plants here. He was growing and experimenting on several hybrids of magical and Muggle plants in addition to growing some species that were thought to be extinct over the last fifteen years. He finally led them out of the steamy greenhouse into a joined building. He opened the door and led them into a large circular room with a gigantic telescope where Gabrielle and another blonde were sitting and talking.

"Luna?" Hermione recognized the woman as she laughed.

"Oh hello Hermione, good to see the Nargles did not get you," Luna waved at her.

"Luna there are no such things as Nargles," Hermione sighed as Neville cleared his throat beside her.

"Actually, there are, they just are an odd offshoot of the demiguise species, we got some images and all when we started checking with infa-red show Luna they didn't exist," Neville said quickly. "Most of the things she talked about in school, they're real, we keep specimens down on the Zoology floor," he explained.

"You can't be serious," Hermione replied in shock.

"No, that would be me!" a hologram of Sirius popped up in front of them and laughed before it disappeared.

"What the bloody hell?" Ron moved his hand around where the hologram disappeared.

"Don't use that phrase here, Mr. Boardman set up the computers to send a hologram whenever someone says that," Luna explained. "I still don't get the joke though…" she frowned before turning her attention back to her telescope. Gabrielle shook her head when Ron looked about to say something and led them out of the observatory.

**-----------------------------------------------**

"Her animals were real," Hermione said incredulously as Gabrielle led them back to the main lobby. "Luna Lovegood's animals are real…" she shook her head in disbelief.

"We were shocked too, trust us," Gabrielle laughed. "We've seen enough, let's go see what Harry has to show us," she walked to a door and kicked it. "Open up Sirius, we're ready!" she screamed into a point on the wall.

"You don't have to bloody shout, you're gonna make me go deaf," Sirius complained as he walked through the door, rubbing his ears.

"You're dead, you can't go deaf," she pointed out as Sirius opened the door. "That will teach you to keep your microphones turned up so high so you hear everything in the building," she frowned. "We told you to cut that out," she scolded him.

"Fine, I'll go turn it down," he grumbled. "Harry's waiting in the lab, just go straight on through, try not to break anything," he said before the door finished opening. "Welcome to the mad scientist's lair," he laughed before vanishing into the closest wall.

They walked in slowly, noting the lab was set up in a rather haphazard fashion. There were dozens of tables in the room, all of them having various contraptions in different states of assembly on them along with stacks of papers. The walls were lined with whiteboards covered in different formulas and notes, presumably relating to what was on the tables.

"Can you read any of that?" Ron asked as he examined the closest board.

"It's not English, I don't recognize it," Hermione said as she carefully walked around a table, examining what looked like a microwave.

"No touching," Harry's voice boomed as Ron pulled his hand away from the foe glass he was about to pick up. "Keep on moving, my med lab is up here," a light flashed over a door on the far end of the room.

"I do not recognize the writing either," Gabrielle frowned as she met back up with the other two.

"Oh, that's Parsel, he slips in and out of snake-talk while he's working hard, don't ask me how he understands it," Sirius waved as the three entered the stark white room where Harry was waiting. He was standing on a round platform that was pulsing with blue light. On either side of the platform were screens displaying his vital signs.

"Hey there, how was the tour?" Harry asked as Gabrielle and Hermione ignored him and studied the screens.

"Brilliant Harry, Krum let me try out that new broom he's working on," Ron beamed before Hermione hit him. "What was that for?" he asked.

"Talk Quiddich later," she frowned. "What is wrong with you, how are you dying?" she glared at him.

"I can't find anything wrong with you on this scan Harry," Gabrielle seemed angry.

"Let me explain before you ladies rip me apart," he calmed them down. "I really am dying, trust me," he said as he walked off the platform and commandeered the screen Gabrielle was looking at. "The killing curse, is a tricky thing," he said as he activated a sequence of buttons. "When it hits a creature, it strips them of magic, then goes on and consumes the soul, life-force, whatever you want to call it," he explained as he showed several videos of the curse being used on test animals.

"We developed a shield that can dissipate the spell by the way Hermione," he mentioned. "Only trouble is it takes a great deal of power to cast it, and can't get it to work through a wand, so we can only reproduce it with the spell generators we have here," he shrugged. "Anyway, back to me," he pressed the screen and a diagram of his body appeared. "As best as we can guess, the killing curses used by Voldemort against me when I was a baby and before the final battle were mostly stopped by my mother's sacrifice and the Resurrection stone," he pressed the screen and some green color superimposed itself on his body.

"The only sense we can make of it is that a little of each curse got through and somehow made Harry resistant against the killing curse, like an antibody," Sirius took over. "Of course we can't really test this because we can't get anything to survive the AK, no matter what we try," he frowned. "What we figure is when Voldemort cast that last AK before Harry beat him, it entered his body and has been slowly fighting to overcome his resistance and finish him off for the last few decades," Sirius explained.

"I collapsed a few years ago, when it started getting serious," Harry frowned and changed the screen. "We figured out what it was fairly fast, since we were already knee deep in the research to block the AK, so we adapted some of the AK shields," he pressed the screen and the image changed again, showing Harry in a head to toe black bodysuit.

"My god…" Hermione gasped. "You're under glamour charms," she realized as she looked at him.

"More or less," Harry shrugged. "I'm heavily charmed so I can live a normal life, but the curse is progressing more and more, I have the magical power of a first year right now, pretty soon it will kill me," he explained before the picture rotated. "I'm also getting tired of carrying a mobile Arc reactor on my back to power the illusions and let me simulate magic," he pointed at the screen.

"How long do you have left?" Gabrielle asked.

"As is, a few months," Sirius sighed. "If we put him under complete stasis, immobilized him, and upped the power, maybe a year," he stopped when Harry walked away. "But somebody refuses to be immobilized and put in stasis," he rolled his eyes.

"I'll take off the bloody suit and feel sun on my skin once more before I die, before I get put in stasis," Harry frowned. "So we have a few months," he shrugged as he handed them each a thick folder of papers. "This is everything we're tried so far, but before you both go and ignore your work and look over it for days, got any ideas?" he asked.

"You've tried drawing the curse out using the shields?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yeah, best we could get them to work was to slow down its advancement," Sirius nodded. "The only way we can get the shields to do more is to completely immobilize Harry and put him into a coma," Sirius explained.

"Which we are not doing," Harry said sharply.

"Which we are still considering," Sirius corrected him before Harry walked off leaving him with the women and Ron.

"Any potions or plants have an effect?" Hermione started leafing through the folder.

"Nothing, and believe me, we have Neville working on it," Sirius shook his head. "He doesn't know the specifics, but he's working to find a way to block or stop the curse with plants, but so far, nothing," he shrugged. "To put it bluntly, me and Harry are out of ideas and could use some help," he admitted.

They stood there thinking as Ron watched over their shoulders as Hermione and Gabrielle read through the files. He walked away after a few minutes, to go bother Harry. "Doing all right there mate?" he asked as he pulled up a chair and sat by Harry who was working at a computer.

"Wonderful," Harry replied sarcastically. "I've got one foot in the grave and can't figure out how to save my own ass," Harry said angrily. "Sorry mate, it just makes me feel like a kid again when I can't figure things out," ha apologized and leaned back closing his eyes. "Was so much easier when all I had to worry about was school," he smirked.

"I hear that," Ron laughed. "Back then all he had to worry about was Snape, the Slytherins, and the occasional Voldemort attack," he joked. "Could be worse, we could have to deal with that Fluffy again," he snorted. "I mean, should have had a more threatening name at least, for what it was guarding," he laughed loudly.

Harry laughed along with his friend before he shot up from his seat and stared at Ron with a look of disbelief. "Your husband is a genius!" he shouted to Hermione before grabbing Ron in a bone crushing hug.

"Oi, I can't breathe here Harry," Ron gasped before Harry released him and ran over to the women.

"Ron is a genius," he laughed as he gave the two of them hugs, scattering their papers.

"What are you talking about Harry?" Hermione looked over to her confused husband who shrugged at her.

"Ron, your husband, is a genius," Harry laughed as he went and took the closest screen and began to pull files up.

"Don't look at me," Ron shrugged when Hermione glared at him. "We were just talking about back at Hogwart's and Fluffy," he explained.

"What is a Fluffy?" Gabrielle asked him.

"Just a three headed dog Haggrid and Dumbledore brought into the castle first year to guard the Philosopher's Stone," he watched Gabrielle and Hermione's eyes grow wide. "What did I do now?" he cringed before Hermione ran to give him a hug kiss him deeply.

"You can't be serious, that stone is a legend," Gabrielle ignored Hermione who was smothering Ron and walked to Harry's side. "I mean, where would you even find one?" she asked him.

"It's not a legend, the last one was destroyed shortly after our first year in Hogwart's after we stopped Voldemort from trying to use it to restore himself," Harry explained. "The creator of the stone was Nicholas Flamell, who died seven months after the stone was destroyed along with his wife," Harry explained as he pulled up the article.

"It says all of his research was destroyed along with the stone," Gabrielle pointed at the screen.

"True, but he did have a close friend at the time of his death," Hermione finally broke the embrace with Ron. "He trusted Dumbledore to help destroy the stone, he may have passed along some knowledge," Hermione nodded. "We should get to Hogwart's and check with his portrait, then stop by the Department of Mysteries, they should have some information as well," Hermione planned.

"You can get us into the Department of Mysteries?" Harry smirked at her.

"Maybe not you," she frowned at him. "But I should have no trouble getting my cousin Gabrielle in," she let go of Ron's hand and walked toward the exit.

"We'll swing by Hogwart's on the way back, see what the portrait can tell us," Gabrielle kissed Harry on the cheek before following Hermione out of the lab.

"So…" Ron relaxed before Harry shot him a look. "Right, shutting up now," he laughed. "Up for some chess?"

**------------------------------------**

"You never were this good in school Harry," Ron commented as he examined the chess board in Harry's study. Harry had bested him the first game, they had a stalemate in the second, and Ron had noticed that Harry would have him in checkmate in four turns. "What gives anyway?" he asked as he knocked his king over, surrendering.

"Had some time to grow up," Harry replied, relaxing as he sipped a scotch. "More like I had to grow up, and it was a lot easier without people trying to kill me every other day," he smirked. "So, how's things at the Cannons, what a job here as Krum's test pilot yet?" Harry laughed as Ron face reddened.

"Things are good, they're going to have me on as an assistant coach next year after I retire from playing," Ron told him.

"That's great, Hermione had to love you not playing anymore," Harry watched as Ron looked away. "You didn't tell her did you?" he rolled his eyes at his friend.

"I meant to, but the coach just brought it up to me last month," he shrugged. "She'll be happy I'm not playing, I know that," he frowned. "Any chance I can part time here and work on brooms like Neville?" he asked nervously.

"So long as your wife doesn't kill me for it," Harry laughed as a rumbling shook the floor under their feet. "What the bloody hell?" he grumbled as he got to his feet and picked up a headset from his desk. "Sirius what the bloody hell was that?" he shouted into the microphone.

"Working on it," Sirius replied as his face came over the TV. "Got unscheduled portkey entry on levels B3 and B2," Sirius explained quickly. "Getting visuals up now," he said as the screen changed to a camera's view of a large glowing machine and several figures at the front of it.

"Sirius, any techs down there right now?" Harry frowned as he paced.

"Scanning now, hold on," the ghost replied as the camera views shifted, revealing a several still forms on the ground. "They're gone Harry, not reading any vitals," Sirius replied coldly. "Same thing on the other floor, they took out all the techs on duty and are messing with the Arc reactors," Sirius said nervously.

"Prep the B-site, Ron and I are going down there to see if we can stop them," Harry ordered, tossing Ron a second headset from his desk. "Put it on, stay with me, and do what I say," Harry told his friend as he led him to a stairwell that revealed itself as a bookcase slid out. "Any idea what we're up against Pads?" Harry talked into the headpiece as he led Ron down the stairs quickly.

"I'm looking through the video Harry, as far as I can tell one of the techs on each floor took out the others, looks like they were shot in the chest at close range from what the surveillance picked up," Sirius responded in their ears. "They took out the techs before the portkeys were activated they planned this Harry," Sirius said angrily.

"Focus Pads, what are they doing to my reactors?" Harry asked as they passed a large number 2 by a door.

"They're wedging something under each control panel," Sirius replied. "Its bombs, they have to be bombs," Sirius continued.

"Damn it," Harry frowned as he and Ron passed a B1 sign. "Start evacuating the upper levels, the complex has been compromised, drain the generators as much as you can before they go up, get everything portkeyed to the B-site," Harry ordered as he came to a stop at a door labeled B2. "How many and where?" he asked as he and Ron caught their breath.

"Looks like four on each team, the ones on your floor...got one watching the door, one messing with the bomb, and the other two are hiding, I can't pick them up," Sirius spoke in their ears.

"Wonderful, ready to fight Ron?" Harry grinned.

"Didn't you say… you had… the magic… of a first year?" Ron wheezed as he caught his breath.

"Also said I had a miniature Arc reactor strapped to my back to power a spell generator," Harry responded. "Go in and break right, I'll go left. The reactor is about thirty meters straight ahead, be careful," Harry ordered before he and Ron snuck into the room.

**-----------------------------------**

Ron gripped his wand tightly as he peeked around a support pillar. 'Hermione is going to kill me' he thought as he blinked away spots in his eyes as the reactor across the room flashed brightly. He ducked back when he caught sight of a man carrying what looked like one of the Muggle guns used to assault the train. 'I'll show you to put my kids in danger' he thought as he peeked around and took aim. "Stupefy," he spoke as quietly as he dared, then groaned when the man fell and squeezed off a few shots towards the reactor by reflex.

"Bloody hell Ron!" he heard Harry yell. "Trying to get me killed here?" Harry shouted across the room.

"The room is clear Ron, Harry took out the others and is working on the reactor, he's about twenty meters in front of you," Sirius spoke in his ear.

"Thanks Sirius, is he okay?" Ron asked as he walked by the man carefully, making sure he was down.

"He's…stressed, we'll leave it at that," Sirius replied as Ron jogged to see his friend working at the controls of the reactor.

"Sirius, what the bloody hell are those shockwaves?" Harry yelled into the headset as he tried to figure out what the men were doing to the reactor.

"Not sure Harry, reading shockwaves and minor explosions all over the complex, I don't like this," Sirius replied in both their ears.

"Uh Harry, what about the bomb?" Ron asked nervously, watching the device's red numbers ticking down.

"Ron, the bomb will only likely kill us, the reactor overloading on the other hand will definitely kill us," Harry swatted Ron's hand away. "Just give me a moment to fix this," he said as he flipped a series of switches and the light in the reactor dimmed to a calmer level. "They knew what they were doing, I'll give them that," he mused as he stepped back and crouched to look at the bomb. "Sirius, any idea about this?" he asked aloud.

"Well, I'm not a bloody bomb expert Harry, give me a minute," Sirius responded in their ears.

"What is the status of the second reactor and the evacuation?" Harry asked as he ran his hands over the case, examining it.

"Evac is about done, but if we lose the reactors we can't portkey without draining the power grid," Sirius replied. "Harry, you're on your own for the bomb, I'm forwarding all the info I have on it to you now," Sirius responded. "You have to take that bomb out Harry, the timer on the other bomb is the same as that one, they're both going to go off in a minute, you only have time to stop the one," Sirius explained.

"Wonderful," Harry replied as Ron watched him open the bomb's case with his bare hands. "Have you diverted all remaining power to shield when the lower reactor goes off?" Harry asked as his eyes glowed green in the dimly lit room.

Ron watched as Harry's hands moved quickly, picking up and examining bits and pieces of the insides of the bomb carefully. He was startled when he saw his friend's eyes glowing green, shooting tiny beams of light at the insides of the bomb. Ron stepped back, his eyes glancing over Harry's back before he stopped. "Harry, what the bloody hell?" he asked as he reached out and touched a series of spots on the back of Harry's clothes.

"Yes, you got me shot, no, I'm fine," Harry brushed Ron's hand away. "And no, I can't stop this bomb, so you need to get… behind me," Harry ordered as he shoved Ron at the reactor and picked up the bomb and walked away from the reactor. "Sirius, shields to full, now!" Harry shouted as he gripped the bomb in a bear hug.

"Harry!" Ron shouted as the ground beneath him shuddered and a fireball enveloped Harry. "Sirius, we need to get him to St. Mungos!" Ron shouted as he tried to get to where Harry's charred form slumped to the ground.

"Status report Sirius?" Harry's familiar voice came from the blackened heap.

"B3 is shot, B2 is stable, evac will be done in a minute, but we need you to shut down and bring the reactor," Sirius talked over the headset.

Ron watched as Harry got up from the ground where he shielded the blast, his body completely black as smoke drifted off it. "Bloody hell," he watched Harry shake his head in disgust.

"Okay Ron, we are going to go get drunk and have a good talk about this," Harry pointed at him as the blackened skin began to expand and crack. "And you are not going to tell your wife about this," he continued as the blackened skin seemed to slide down back into Harry's body and red and gold metal slid out to replace it. "And most of all, no telling Gabrielle, she bitched me out for not telling her about the bloody suit once already, I don't need to hear that again," Harry finished as he stood in front of Ron, eyes glowing green behind the faceplate of the Gryffindor suit.

**(Sound effects as he changes from Harry to Gryffindor, think of the sound when the Jaffa in SG1 that had the headpieces retracted or came out, that ch-ch-ch-ch sound)**

**A/N: Some of you got it, I'll explain exactly how Harry is both himself and James Gryffindor next chapter. In retrospect, a lot of the stuff I explained here, might have been better earlier in the story, but oh well, I'm the writer, so I get some leeway. So there, Harry is in the suit, Marauder Intl. was evacuated, Harry is dying, other things happened that will not be mentioned until next chapter… **

**Sorry the chapter was so long, but I cock-teased once with saying the man in the suit would be revealed and didn't want to do it again.**


	10. Chapter 9: SiteB

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 9: B-Site**

Ron blinked his eyes as he recovered from the portkey Harry had activated, taking the pair of them and the reactor from the basement to a new room. "Where are we?" Ron asked as he watched Harry manipulate the reactor, reversing what he did to power it down and unhook it from the main headquarters.

"Godric's Hollow," Harry replied in his normal voice. "We always had some paranoid ideas about some Ministry coming and trying to take what we had, so we have had this planned for a rainy day for some time now," Harry grunted as he physically lifted and moved the reactor. "Sirius, get in here and give me a report," he said out loud as he adjusted the reactor.

"Hey there kids," Sirius greeted them as he floated down from the ceiling looking like the ghost he was. "I can't get any more specifics until you get the power back up, so going by memory here," Sirius watched as Harry nodded and went back to the reactor. "As near as I could figure, they killed the techs at the reactors and in a couple other areas in the complex, then got in via portkeys that somehow bypassed the wards we had up. After that they set bombs, did god knows what else, and blew up the reactor before escaping," he sighed.

"I thought your place was impregnable? I mean, Hermione is always complaining that you won't make the wards you used public," Ron commented, still confused at Harry in the red metal armor.

"So did we," Sirius interrupted before Harry could speak. "The wards there were built to only allow people we allowed to enter inside, never mind that portkeying and apparating in was supposed to be completely impossible without horribly splinching the trespasser," Sirius continued. "Once we get the power on here, I'll see what I can figure out Harry," he nodded at Harry who was now working at the control panel of the generator.

"How many died Sirius?" Harry asked as he tapped the keys rapidly.

"Seventeen of our people, I have their bodies stashed in a room, I'll take care of them once you get me powered up," Sirius said coldly.

"And the ones we stunned?" Harry continued.

"Four prisoners, got them locked up in one of the spell testing rooms, but really need the power back on the secure this place Harry," he watched as Harry kept typing commands into the control panel.

"There we go, I had to make sure there was no lasting damage from the tech that was against us," Harry finished as he hit a button and the reactor came to life and Sirius ran out of the room. Harry sighed in the suit so loudly that Ron heard it before turning around and sitting on the ground. "Guess you want the skinny on this?" he eyed Ron from behind the metal mask.

"Probably for the best," Ron nodded and sat down by his friend.

"Any chance of getting an unbreakable vow or something, so you can't tell anyone about this?" Harry asked as the faceplate and helmet began to move on their own accord and slide down into the neck area of the suit.

"I'd prefer not to lose my life or magic if Hermione beats it out of me," Ron frowned at Harry's pale face when he pulled down the black cloth that was covering his head, noting a glow of light blue coming from it. "If it helps, I'll do my best to keep this secret mate," he paused before poking Harry in the side. "Not like many people would believe this… what are you, a ghost?" he gestured at Harry.

"No, that's the killing curse shield spell, it has to run through my body 24/7 or else we risk the damage progressing faster," Harry looked away.

"What about the glamour charms?" Ron was puzzled. "You told us you were under glamour charms to cover up…that?" he frowned as he figured it out.

"Bingo," Harry nodded and stood up walking a few feet away from Ron. "This suit is what is keeping me alive," he explained as he pulled the cloth up and covered his head, leaving only his eyes showing. Ron's eyes grew wide as the red suit folded into itself into the Gryffindor symbol on Harry's chest, leaving him in the glowing skintight black bodysuit with a metallic Gryffindor emblem in the center of his chest. "Excessive use of shrinking charms and Muggle robotics, try not to think about it," Harry shrugged.

"The Harry everyone sees…" he scratched his head. "Well…I put a big red disguise in here," he tapped his chest. "What's to say I couldn't fit a fake Harry in here too?" he laughed as the chest emblem expanded and covered him in what looked to be the Harry Ron knew, but was charred and blackened. "So, Sirius is gonna go take care of the bodies and figure out what went wrong," he laughed to himself and conjured a bottle of Firewhisky in his hand. "I say you and me get royally pissed and pray to god it takes Gabrielle and Hermione some time to get here, otherwise I'm going to have to find a way to hide this before it gets cleaned," he brushed at his arm, sending some blackened flakes to the ground. "Internal cleaning charms should have it back to normal in a couple hours," Harry explained as parts of his 'Harry costume' started cleaning themselves. "In the mean time, let's go get drunk and see what Sirius found out," he took a drink before handing the bottle to Ron and leading him out of the reactor room.

**------------------------------------------**

"Hello Minister Weasley, Miss Delacour…" Minerva McGonagall paused seeing the two of them together. "To what do we owe this pleasure?" she asked behind her desk in her office as the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Sorry to barge in like this Professor," Hermione apologized as she wiped some soot from her robes, a necessary evil for those who used Floo travel.

McGonagall covered her mouth and laughed behind her desk. "Hermione, you are the Minster of Magic, and have not been a student of mine for quite some time," she pointed out as several portraits chuckled. "I believe we can be on a first name basis," she added before pouring three cups of tea. "Now what brings you here Hermione, Gabrielle," she eyed the blonde carefully.

"We need to talk with headmaster Dumbledore's portrait," Hermione mumbled quickly.

"Just like a Gryffindor, barging in and not having a plan," Snape's own portrait interrupted them. "I would have expected more from the Minster of Magic," he sneered at the two women.

"We did have a plan you know," Gabrielle butted in, glaring at the greasy haired man's image.

"And what a plan it was," Dumbledore nodded as he returned to his own portrait from parts unknown. "I must say Minerva, I am shocked," he smiled at the older woman.

"What?" she asked before she slumped to her desk asleep.

"How Slytherin of you Miss Granger," Snape laughed.

"Bite me you greasy bastard," she spat at him before talking to Dumbledore's portrait. "Headmaster, we need to know everything you know about the creation of the Philosopher's stone, it is very important," she watched he stared back at her.

"Well, Minister Weasley," he said her name loudly to anger Snape who had been silenced by Gabrielle. "I know bits and pieces of how to create it, but most of my knowledge did not really transfer over to this painting, if you catch my meaning," he shrugged. "I will help you as best I can, but Alchemy is a field very much related to Potions," he smirked at Snape's frame.

"…you bloody dare that I will," Snape shouted for a moment before Gabrielle put the silencing charm back up.

"Quite mouthy isn't he?" Gabrielle taunted Snape who tried to leave his painting, finding he could not.

"Severus has his charms, but as the Minister, if you can get the Department of Mysteries to unlock certain documents," he winked as Hermione and Gabrielle each pulled several boxes of papers from their pockets. "Ah, splendid," Dumbledore smiled. "With Severus and myself guiding you, we should little difficulty recreating a Philosopher's stone," he clapped his hands. "I must ask, what are you planning on using it for," he added at the end.

"We can't tell you," Hermione shook her head, catching Gabrielle's eye.

"Oh, I do so love a mystery," Dumbledore smiled. "We will need a fully stocked potions laboratory to begin the process, the one here at Hogwarts will be sufficient," Dumbledore nodded as Snape continued to soundlessly shout at Gabrielle.

"It is not secure here, we will have to do the work elsewhere," Gabrielle interrupted. "The Marauder International potion labs are more than up for the task, I assure you," she said professionally. "I'll contact Sirius and get us some room set aside," she nodded and walked away to an unoccupied corner.

"Hermione, if you would please lift the spell on Severus, I would appreciate it," Dumbledore smirked before Hermione waved her wand, ending the silencing spell.

"Stupid girl, what could possess you, the Minister of Magic to go after the stone?" Snape lashed out at her. "That stone is dangerous, it almost let Voldemort come back to life years ago, it needs to stay dead, I refuse to help," he glared at her.

"Now Severus, I am sure Hermione and Gabrielle have the purest of intentions, otherwise the wards would have gone off when they put Minerva to sleep," the older wizard replied.

"Wards?" Hermione frowned, looking around the room.

"Oh yes, Harry came a few months ago, he installed some interesting wards when I was the only one awake," Dumbledore nodded. "The purpose of the wards was to go off if anyone inside them wished harm towards the Headmaster or the School, quite ingenious, I enjoyed watching him enact them," Dumbledore nodded.

"We have a problem," Gabrielle said after a moment of talking into a cell phone in the corner.

"Besides entering here unannounced and attacking the Headmaster of the school?" Snape snorted.

"Yes, besides that," Gabrielle snapped her wand, making his portrait fall off the wall before she shrunk it and pocketed the screaming frame. "Marauder International was attacked four hours ago," she said quietly as Hermione paled. "I talked to Sirius, the old HQ in London has been abandoned for security reasons, they moved everything to the B-site," she noticed Hermione's breathing growing ragged. "Ron and Harry are fine," she added.

"Thank god," Hermione sighed and nearly collapsed. "Your building was supposed to be the most secure in England, what happened?" she asked.

"Sirius is trying to figure that out, but we really ought to get over there," Gabrielle smiled as Dumbledore nodded and made his own frame fall from the wall. "In you go," she said as she shrunk and pocketed the portrait.

"We can't be stealing portraits of Headmasters from…" Hermione began automatically.

"You're the Minister," Gabrielle shrugged. "Besides, they came willingly, more or less, and if you leave McGonagall a note, she'll be fine with it," Gabrielle smirked. "We really need to get back now though, they caught some of the people that attacked the HQ," Gabrielle explained while Hermione drafted a short note and stuck it in McGonagall's hand.

"Have the Aurors got anything from them?" Hermione asked as they walked to the Floo.

"They killed seventeen of our workers, Harry is not giving them up willingly," Gabrielle frowned. "He and your husband are rather drunk right now and trying to beat the truth out of them," she shook her head before the two of them disappeared into the Floo.

**------------------------------------------**

Harry awoke to someone snoring loudly for the first time in many years. "Oh bloody hell," he groaned as he shook off his headache and tried to figure out why he and Ron were in the kitchen sleeping at a small table. "Oh yeah…girls don't like secrets and drunks," he frowned when he thought back to when Hermione and Gabriele arrived and pulled him and Ron off the four men that they had caught. The women had ordered Sirius to keep them locked up somewhere safe until the morning when they had sobered up. "Pads, you there?" he asked out loud.

"I'm here pup," Sirius' voice replied. "Going voice only for a while, still trying to figure out what all we need to make this place work on only one generator," he admitted. "I have Dobby and the House elves working more than usual, all the cleaning charms are out the window, not to mention any space expanding charms, everything is going to defensive warding. The elves say they can handle everything else until I can get the parts for another Arc here," Sirius explained.

"How long?" Harry asked as he poured himself a glass of water and took a long drink.

"Gonna take a while, probably three months to get everything in here and assembled, I assume you want it done incognito?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's too dangerous to pull all the materials at once, everyone is already watching us, we can't let Arc technology get out to the wrong hands," Harry nodded. "What about the attackers?" he continued.

"Once Hermione and Gabrielle had me lock you in here, they took them away to the Ministry," Sirius replied. "Unfortunately, by crossing the old Ministry boundaries, it activated some sort of a charm on them, the four of them dropped dead instantly," Sirius explained.

"Super, we get anything out of them before we were stopped?" he asked, trying to remember the last night.

"Just one name before the ladies stopped you," Sirius replied.

"Bloody Malfoy," Ron groaned in his drunken stupid as Harry conjured and filled a bucket with cold water to wake his friend.

**--------------------------------------------------------**

"I say we ignore them," Hermione told Gabrielle as the two of them moved between books and papers in the research room.

"I say we hex their balls off for keeping the attack from us and getting drunk," Gabrielle flipped a page violently.

"I agree with the blonde, in fact, I have some useful spells I could teach her…" Snape added before several glares shut him up. He focused on the book in front of him, waving his hand every now and then to signal the computers controlling the magics in the room to turn the page. "I still find it a bloody miracle that Potter discovered how to use magic like this," he frowned as he devoured the next page. "The boy was next to useless in school."

"I believe he had other matters to attend to Severus, partly due to our own actions," Dumbledore replied as he examined his own book, waving his hands to control the pages. "The nature of magic he found is remarkable," the old man smiled as he and Snape continued devouring Harry's original thesis on the Unified Theory from years ago.

"He did make the whole world rethink everything they knew about… well everything," Sirius laughed as he floated through the wall. "The boys are up and looking for you, want me to send them this way?" he asked.

"No, we're going to ignore them for a while," Gabrielle replied as she continued looking through the book in front of her. "We'll tear them a new one later, right now we need to work on this and let the Aurors see what they can find out about Malfoy and the attacks," Gabrielle sighed and turned her page.

**A/N: I'm not dead! Just swamped with RL crap so no time to write really. It should be getting better though after today.**


	11. Chapter 10: IllGotten Gains

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 10: Ill-Gotten Gains**

"Well, I'm sorry, but it seemed like the best idea at the time," Harry shot back at Hermione as they met in her office 2 days after the attack on Marauder International. "Granted, getting drunk and beating them was probably a bad idea, but we got some information out of them," he glared at her. "Sirius and I scanned them ourselves, nothing we had could pick up the damn suicide charm on them if they entered the Ministry itself, everything I do is not some plot to make more work for you," he added.

She stared back at him, not saying a word. "Okay, bad choice of words," he frowned, taking a drink of his coffee. "Some things Sirius and I may or may not have done over the last few years may have been to get you riled up, but this is not one of them," he continued. "Any activity with Malfoy or those four we captured that we can work with?" he frowned, not happy with the current situation.

"No, Malfoy's trail has been cold since he left disappeared after you put me in as Minister, believe me, we have been after what was left of the family fortune," she told him. "As for those four, we have very little," she handed him a folder. "Two were hit wizards from Eastern Europe, the other two were mercenaries from the same area," she paused as Harry flipped through the paperwork. "When we examined their bodies, we found they had metal pins inserted into random joints, probably whatever was containing the suicide charm," she watched as Harry nodded. "Any idea how they got by your wards?" she asked him.

"I have an idea, but I don't like it," he closed the folder and handed it back. "The wards we have up are blood based, you can't get in unless you have been keyed in," he watched her eye him angrily. "We used our non-invasive blood testing to get a sample form you and Ron as we keyed you in, take it easy," Harry shook his head. "The only way they all got in, and this is a big if, because it is completely insane," Harry sand emphatically. "The only way into those wards would be if someone was crazy enough to replace all or most of their blood with someone who was already keyed in," Harry got up and started pacing. "The problem is that our wards are built to keep everyone out, but allow people to apparate and such inside the building," he explained.

"How did they get the blood?" Hermione asked out loud.

"Hell if I know, we screened everyone we hired," Harry shrugged. "It took them years to sneak that many people in, they were not under the Imperius, out scanners check for that, they did it willingly," he sat back down. "Once they snuck their people in, they planned it well and hit the most dangerous parts of the complex at once, trying to take it all out at once, bloody Malfoy…" he grunted.

Hermione watched as Harry relaxed in his chair, having got his frustration off his chest. "Harry, this is more than trying to take your company out," Hermione watched him. "From what I got out of Ron, they had the two of you and Gryffindor busy in the basement as they hit their other targets," she watched as he gritted his teeth. "What did they take Harry?" she said with authority.

Harry scratched at his head before looking away. "Harry, there are some times I let you guys do what you want, but this is something that I need to know about, isn't it?" she got his attention by throwing a pen at him. "Pay attention," she scolded as he rolled his eyes. "What was taken?"

**----------------------------------------------------**

"They got the bloody prototypes!" Harry shouted angrily as Gabrielle asked him the same question a few hours earlier. "They got every last one of the god damn prototypes we had built with the new crystal power matrix and from what Sirius could tell, they got a LOT of the paperwork to go along with them," he spat as he threw his glass at the wall. "Now that bloody bastard Malfoy…" he slumped into a chair in his study and grabbed his head.

"It's okay Harry, we'll find him," Gabrielle rubbed his back. "I am still mad at you though," she swatted the back of his head.

"Yeah, I figured," he rubbed where she had hit him. "About the suit, the whole dying thing, or not telling you when we hit the B-site?" he frowned before he was hit again. "Right, all of the above," he ducked before she could hit him again. "I'm sorry, alright?" he turned and grabbed her hand so she couldn't hit him.

"When you figured out that you were dying, when was it?" she watched him as he released her hand. "Harry?" she asked after he didn't respond and stared off into space. "Talk to me, please," she sighed and watched him.

"I am going to die," he closed his eyes. "Hell, I'm surprised I made it this long," he continued, leaning back against the chair. "I can't get close to people for too long or they notice the anti-AK field, or worse, get a little zap from it," he opened his eyes to look at her. "You know when I figured it out, it was when we broke it off," he looked away and got up from his chair. "I have to go, I need to meet with Hermione," he explained before apparating away.

**------------------------------------------------------**

"Hey," Ron said uncomfortably as he spooned the food he had ordered onto plates for himself and Hermione.

"Hey," Hermione watched as he served the food and sat down, but did not eat. She set down a few small folders of papers to her left before taking her own seat, noticing the Chinese takeout boxes in the trashcan. She waited as neither of them made a move toward the food, before speaking up. "Dig in Ron, I appreciate the effort," she held back a smile as he attacked his food. They ate in a comfortable silence until Ron finished his plate and Hermione still had 2/3s of hers left.

"You're still mad," Ron wished he had bugged Harry for some wine to help loosen Hermione up.

"Just a bit," she put down her fork and looked at him. "You and Harry's drunken beating of those four was not fun to clean up after," she pointed her knife at him.

"Oh, it's just that?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Thank god you never went into politics," Hermione covered her face with her hand. "No it's not just bloody that," she rolled her eyes at him. "I sent all the paperwork that the Department of Mysteries had over to Gabrielle, but I skimmed over it once," she let out a breath. "From all I read, the process of making the stone takes months, if not years, even if Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape can help them get it going…it's going to be too late," she shuddered.

"What about that stasis thing he talked about it?" Ron asked as he eyed her food.

"Sure, talk Harry into something he told Sirius off about, good luck with that," she took a bite and nodded at the plate, giving Ron the go ahead to steal her food. "Harry figured out why they attacked his building," she continued between bites. "Turns out they used their inside people to get into some of his labs, the stuff they swiped…it's not good," she shuddered.

"Especially in the hands of a Malfoy," Ron added before he stole a piece of chicken. "I never got that out of Harry when we were talking, what all did then bloody git's men steal?" Ron paled as she started to explain.

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

"Auror Jordan, are you there?" the mirror in the black Auror's pocket asked loudly. Lee groaned and handed it over to closest robber. He was in a local branch of Gringott's near his home in the west side of London when a dozen men in ski masks had entered and taken the bank. What he was more interested in was that half the men had guns, and the other half had some odd looking devices, looking like a cross between a gun and a vacuum cleaner. When they entered they used the odd looking weapons to incapacitate the goblins immediately, then his bloody mirror had to interrupt.

"Looks like we got us an Auror here," the man threw his mirror against the wall shattering it. "You picked a bad day to come here son," he laughed at Lee.

"Just take it easy, no one is going to try anything," Lee tried to defuse the situation. "Just take what you want and leave, no one has to get hurt," he kept his hand sup, trying to calm the men down. The man closest to him kept his weapon trained on him has the leader directed the men to start bagging all the money they could from the tellers.

"Bring him here," the leader ordered the man who was guarding Lee. "Jordan, how nice to see you again," the man sneered at Lee.

"I'd be lying if I said the same," Lee jerked his head as the man's wand dug into his neck. "Nice to see you too Zabini," he glared at the man.

"Now now, let's not let the past catch up with is, I know you have a way to call Gryffindor," he jerked his head at a man holding a hostage. "I want Gryffindor here, or else we start killing them, one at a time," he grinned.

**-------------------------------------------------------**

"What the hell?" Harry frowned when a light started blinking out of the corner of his eye. He looked around, making sure Gabrielle had not snuck into his lab again as she has been doing since they moved to the B-site. "This is Gryffindor, go ahead Lee," he said in a deeper voice as he tried to trace the signal being sent to him.

"Hey there James, sorry about this," Lee spoke before he was cut off.

"Gryffindor?" an unfamiliar voice came over the link.

Harry frowned as he sealed his lab. "Who is this, what have you done with Auror Jordan?" he asked as he followed the trace on the signal, trying to locate Lee.

"He's fine for now Gryffindor, but we will start killing him and the other hostages very soon, unless you do what we say," the voice replied over the link.

"What do you want?" Harry asked as he finished tracing the signal, locating the bank.

"Simple really, we want you, or your boss Potter to take their place," the voice laughed. "Someone is going to die Gryffindor, choose between you, your boss, and the Auror," the signal cut off.

**------------------------------------------------**

"Hermione, don't hang up, this is important," Harry said as he powered up his apparation spell.

"What is it Harry? I am still trying to juggle finding a way to save your bloody life and keeping the Wizengamot and the Muggles from making me come after your head," Hermione groaned.

"Are we secure?" Harry asked as he keyed in his target, a couple miles from the bank and disapparated.

"Yeah, we're clean, according to the thing you gave me," Hermione confirmed. "What's wrong?"

"Gryffindor got a transmission from Lee Jordan a few minutes ago on the emergency transmitter we left him," Harry explained as he shot off through the sky. "He was at a bank and a goblin tripped the alarms, so Auror command sent a signal to the closest Auror. He's currently being held hostage with an unknown number of people, the robbers…they're not robbers…" Harry frowned.

"I'll ignore how much you know about Auror command, what do you mean they are not robbers?" Hermione asked him.

"They took his Auror mirror and broke it, then they made him contact Gryffindor," Harry explained. "They're going to kill people, they asked for me or Gryffindor, otherwise they're going to kill Lee," Harry frowned as he targeted the bank.

"Harry, Gryffindor still has authorization to carry out mission I authorize," Hermione spoke quickly. "Send him in, get Lee and the others out of there, I'll take care of the aftermath," she ordered.

"Sirius will send Dobby by with all our information on the attack when he can, I need to go now. We'll be in contact once the situation is handled," he closed the communication as he dove at the roof of the building, crashing through it, landing on the bank's marble floor loudly.

**-----------------------------------------------------**

"Potter sends the Muggle, how typical," the man sneered at Harry as he kept his wand pressed to Lee's head. "No matter, we need to get some practice in with our new toys," he motioned with his free hand to a few robbers. "Take the tin man apart," he ordered the men.

Harry frowned as he and Sirius surveyed the situation, counting up the hostages. "I count 16 friendlies, and a dozen baddies, lighting them up in red and green for you," Sirius spoke into his ear as Harry's display changed to help him target better.

"Figure out the best order to take them out and program the damn spells, I'll keep them busy," Harry ordered as he raised his hands, shielding him from the magical blasts sent by the robbers. "They have my bloody weapons," he growled as he watched them keep firing.

"Bad news…when the alarms were tripped, it hit the goblin wards, can't apparate or portkey the hostages out," Sirius spoke into his ear. "You gotta take the baddies all out yourself," Sirius explained. "I got the targeting up, only problem we have is with the bastard holding Lee," Sirius added.

"Let the Auror go," Harry ordered in his deeper and metallic Gryffindor voice.

"I think not," the man holding Lee laughed, pulling his mask off. "The only reason you haven't freed him yet is because you can't without chancing his life, pathetic Muggle," he smirked at Harry.

"Zabini," Harry quickly sent out a low level electo-magnetic pulse, disabling the stolen weapons. "Give it up and maybe the Ministry will go easy on you," Harry threatened as the robbers noticed their useless weapons.

"I highly doubt that," Blaise froze as he saw his men playing with their useless weapons. "Kill him now!" he shouted, pushing Lee to the side. "Avada Kedavra!" he shouted as he shot the green light at Harry.

Harry saw the light coming and watched the shields automatically come up. He grimaced as the men opened fire with their guns, backed up with AKs and other dark spells. He fired back quickly, dodging as best he could in the heavy metal suit, downing the attackers within a minute, making sure to avoid the hostages. He shot a stupefy from his left hand, downing the final robber before allowing himself a second to regroup. He whirled his head as warning sensors went off. "Don't touch them!" he shouted to the people, noting Lee jerking his hands back as the unconscious body of Blaise disappearing.

"Hostages are all still here Harry, no one got caught in their automatic portkeys," Sirius confirmed. "Shields are a 40%, I wouldn't advise not taking that much damage again if at all possible," he joked.

"You okay Jordan?" Harry asked Lee as the hostages began to recover.

"Yeah, just fine," Lee scanned the room with his wand out. "So, those goofy looking guns they had shot spells, care to elaborate?" he glared at Harry.

"Ask your Minister, she has teams on the way," Harry brushed him off. "I need to go try to track them, tell Minister Granger that we'll be in touch," Harry ordered before he disapparated loudly.

**-------------------------------------------**

Back in his new lab, Harry was pacing in his black bodysuit. "This isn't good Pads, they know how to use the bloody weapons, hell, they know how to modify them," he punched at the wall.

"Harry, you need to calm down," Sirius spoke in his ghost form. "You saved lives today, if they didn't have our weapons, they would still have wand and guns," he continued. "You can't stop bad people from doing bad things," Sirius stepped in front of him.

Harry stopped, bowing his head at his godfather's ghost. "Not like this," he turned away. "We need to fix this bloody AK that is killing me," he looked up at Sirius. "I won't let people get killed by my inventions Sirius," he shook his head. "If we don't know how to make the stone by Christmas, it will be too late Pads," his eyes flared with a green light. "I'm not going into stasis, I'll drop the AK shields and take them out with me if I have to," he muttered to himself.

**A/N: Yup, 2x updates in 24 hours, don't get used to it. I am going to try hard to get this done by the end of February so I can start Super Soldier up again (I have a lotta delicious twists in there). Besides that, I blame RL and the economy making me work harder and longer :P**

*******POSTED SUPERBOWL EVE: GO STEELERS!!!!!!*******

**Steelers 34 – Cards 17**


	12. Chapter 11: The Curse

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 11: The Curse**

"You owe me for this, big time," Tony Stark said from beneath his Iron Man suit as he and Harry, in the Gryffindor suit, maneuvered a reactor into place at Godric's Hollow.

"Story of my life," Harry frowned as they set the generator down and worked the connections together.

"Interesting way you wired it up for travel and reattaching it to the building," Stark said as he examined the wall Harry was working at. "Like plugging a battery in and taking it out," he looked closely at it.

"Eyes up, the deal was for broom tech in exchange for this, unless you want to change the deal?" Harry looked at Tony.

"As tempting as that may be, I think I'll stick with the broom charms," Tony replied shaking his head. "Just so you know, the people on my crews haven't come up with anything for you, how have your people done?" Tony asked as the two of them walked to the exit and out of the room.

"Not good. We thought we had a lead, but it will take too long to make and even then," Harry shrugged. "Even then we have no idea if it will work," Harry added as the door opened and closed behind them. "Thanks for trying though," Harry shook his hand as they took an elevator up a few levels to the roof. "We boosted the power output on the suit itself, shields are about 25% of what they were before, but it should keep me going until March if we are lucky," he explained as they walked to the edge of the rooftop.

"Anything you need kid, you know I'll you give you a hand," Tony patted him on the back with a loud clanging noise.

"I know," Harry nodded. "At least I got some time to try to fix it and find out where Malfoy is hiding before it finally craps out and kills me," Harry shrugged. "See ya around Iron Man."

"See you around Harry," Stark nodded before taking flight.

_--------------------------------------------------_

"I got your message earlier," Hermione greeted Sirius from behind her cluttered desk. "I also got word from the Prime Minister about Tony Stark making a visit, care to fill me in?" she asked as the ghost rolled his eyes at her.

"We needed another Arc reactor to get the B-site going, Harry made a trade with Tony and they got it set up," Sirius admitted. "As near as we can figure, the people that got through before, they were sneaky bastards," Sirius frowned. "They somehow snuck seven agents into our business over the years without alerting us, best we can figure is that they had severe mind alteration spells done at some point to counteract the oaths and Veritaserum we give on interviews and acceptance," he explained.

"And the wards?" she asked as he handed her a folder.

"The spies must have been draining their blood at regular intervals to build up stockpiles, we tested the residue from where Ron and Harry questioned them and it matched the exact blood of a spy," he smirked at the word residue. "They were bloody mad, they replaced their entire blood supply with that of the spy in order to gain entrance to the wards," he frowned. "We have adapted the wards at the B-site; there is a centralized entry and exit point, no apparation and such inside the complex anymore. People coming to work have to come through the checkpoint and leave by the same way," he sighed.

"Any more contact with the men who attacked the bank and drew out Agent Zero?" she asked.

"Nothing, we know Zabini was among them, but we can pretty much start picking names out of a hat from all the Death Eater families that disappeared and I'd bet money on them being in league with Malfoy," Sirius admitted. "Any word from other governments on getting them to give up where they are hiding?"

"They haven't given them up for war crimes by now, I doubt they will ever," she frowned as she examined the papers in the folder. "This is how the weapons work?" she asked as she looked over the hand written papers. "Harry needs to work on his handwriting," she chuckled.

"Yeah, well he wrote them up this morning, was busy last night," Sirius explained as he looked over the desk at the papers. "The power source is where Harry wants to track them, the models that were stolen were for law enforcement, so they were built to magically tap into the local power grid and draw energy from that," he explained as Hermione nodded.

"And you figure you can monitor the power grids around England to find them?" she eyed the ghost who whistled innocently. "Of course, you already are monitoring the grids," she rolled her eyes.

"To be fair, we own some power companies, the ones we were planning on integrating with Arc reactors in the future," Sirius pointed out. "But yes, we tapped into the whole grid, they aren't here, or if they are, they are very good at hiding their tracks," he explained. "We need to break into the grid for other places to find them," he mentioned as she turned to a new sheet of paper.

Hermione frowned and ran her hand through her hair immediately as she read over the list. "This is so illegal," she sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, we'll make sure you are never connected with it," Sirius suggested.

"Fine, just get results, I want those weapons out of Malfoy's hands quickly," she replied after a moment. "How's Harry doing, Gabrielle and I forwarded him all the information on the stone we could gather after last weekend," she asked.

"Well, after seeing how long the stone would take to make, he appropriated Neville and Luna to work with Dumbledore and Snape until it is finished," Sirius said calmly. "He adjusted his AK field too, we think it will hold out until the stone can be completed, so long as nothing crazy happens," he knocked on the desk.

"Something crazy is always happening with Harry," Hermione muttered to herself.

**---------------------------------------------**

"So, you thought about Christmas yet, if you're going to tell Teddy anything?" Sirius asked Harry.

"It's a bloody month away Sirius," Harry frowned as he stared at the computer in front of him, watching the power readouts across various parts of Europe.

"Harry, he may not be your blood, but he is your son, it's something you should tell him, you know, since you might not be around for another Christmas," Sirius watched Harry scowl.

"I'll think about it, what did Hermione say when you told her we needed to hack into the international grids?" Harry looked over at Sirius.

"She said don't get caught," Sirius smirked.

"We're Marauders, we don't get caught," Harry chuckled then froze as his eyes narrowed on a part of the screen. "Pads, do you see that?" he asked quickly.

"Tracking it now, bringing up the area's power drain records for the past few months and looking for any big changes," Sirius rambled as the screen flipped between dozens of pages of data. "Something's going on, can't be their main base, but the power consumption for the last week is off the charts, maybe a training facility," Sirius mused as Harry walked out of the room to his emergency exit as his exterior rapidly changed to red and gold metal.

**----------------------------------------**

"One minute until arrival, activating invisibility charms," Harry spoke as he scanned the area in eastern Germany, approaching the building they had identified earlier. "Whatever they have here, it's warded pretty good Sirius," he said as he landed softly and looked at the readout inside his helmet.

"Just be careful Harry, your shields won't last long at the state they are in," Sirius reminded him as he monitored everything from Godric's Hollow.

"I'll be fine Sirius," Harry whispered as he examined a ward before deactivating it with a small burst of energy. "Think anyone noticed that?" he asked before he picked up shouting from inside the warehouse. "I'll take that as a yes," he muttered and backed away against a wall, hoping no one would walk into him.

Close to two dozen men exited the building quickly, half armed to the teeth with Muggle weapons, the others with the stolen technology from Marauder International. Harry frowned when he recognized Malfoy's familiar voice and hair. "Malfoy," he whispered inside the helmet.

"Spread out, keep your eyes open and be ready to fire," Malfoy ordered as the men spread out. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…" he heard Malfoy sing as several men laughed. "We know you're here, we felt the alarm go off," Malfoy looked around in the fading daylight. "Now the question is, who are you? The Aurors around here are all paid off or sympathetic to our cause, so you are foreign," Malfoy motioned to one of the men who lit off a smoke grenade. "Let's see what you look like…" he muttered as the smoke began to pool on the ground and swirl in the breeze, clearly outlining Harry's invisible form.

Harry was cursing inside his helmet as he dropped the spell to conserve power, knowing full well the Muggle way to spot invisible or disillusioned wizards. "Well, this isn't totally unexpected, Potter's little toy," Draco laughed as the men trained their weapons on Harry. "I suppose I should properly introduce myself," Malfoy glared at Harry.

"I know who you are, Draco Malfoy," Harry replied in the disguised voice. "You're behind the attack on the Hogwarts express and the attack on Marauder International," Harry kept facing Draco, but was scanning the others with his sensors. "I knew some of the people your agents killed," Harry added.

"I guess trying to buy you off won't do much then, will it?" Draco sneered. "A pity, I was hoping Potter himself would come instead of sending his toy," Draco shook his head. "No matter, the hero won't be able to resist, once you are gone," Draco waved at his men. "Kill him, let me know when it is finished," he ordered before walking back into the building.

**--------------------------------------------**

"Harry, get out of there now, with your shields at low power, you won't last five minutes," Sirius shouted at the screen in his personal lab. "Who the hell!" he yelled as the door opened behind him admitting Ron Weasley. "Oh…hey Ron…" Sirius turned back to watch what Harry was doing.

"Why is my wife cursing your name with every other breath?" Ron asked as he walked up to Sirius and looked at the screen. "And what is this?" he frowned the screens, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Well, we figured out where we think Malfoy took some of the weapons and got Hermione to green light sending Gryffindor in," Sirius sighed after looking at the screen. "And that is Harry targeting Malfoy's men that ambushed him," he explained.

**---------------------------------------**

"Nice to see you again Nott," Harry taunted his old schoolmate. "Acquire targets, lock on with concussion grenades and banishing charms," he said into the helmet.

"This time we have the advantage, no more tricks Gryffindor," Nott pointed his spell gun at Harry's chest.

"I'm all out of tricks," Harry raised his hands calmly. "I'm not playing anymore," Harry grinned inside the mask as he activated the spells that shot the concussion grenades all around him. He shot forward, backhanding Nott to the ground as the grenades staggered and disabled some of the others. He felt the bullets hitting him from behind, flipping his wrist back to where they were coming from and shooting a pair of stunners.

"Find me the damn targets Sirius," he shouted as he flew up to the closest rooftop, taking a glancing blow from a spell on the way. "Damn it!" he swore as he saw the power in his shields drop to almost nothing. He looked over the side, hearing several rounds of bullets impact helmet. "Pads, you got anything?" he asked as he walked around the rooftop.

"We're working on it," Harry heard him reply.

"Who is we?" he asked as he stuck his head out and ducked back. "Bugger this," he swore, looking over the side and blasting several Reductos at a couple of armed men. "Bringing up localized magic sensors, hopefully they can get some reading on the spell blasters," he commented as he played with the sensors. "I got seven weak signatures, probably the spell blasters, and two larger signatures, Nott and Malfoy, you see anything else Sirius?" he asked as he slowly moved to a corner of the building before it exploded in a fireball.

**------------------------------------------**

"Harry!" Sirius yelled as he disappeared from his seat and actually entered the computer.

"What can I do Sirius?" Ron asked as he took the vacated chair and looked over the panels in front of him.

"Headset to your right, get it on and do what Harry says, I have to monitor his system, just do what we tell you to," Sirius replied via the headset he had put on.

**------------------------------------------------**

"What the bloody hell was that?" Harry groaned as he struggled to get free of the pile of rubble that was the building he was standing on earlier. He turned on the helmet light, seeing himself trapped on all sides by rubble. "Anyone here, Sirius?" he asked into the helmet.

"I'm here Harry, Sirius said he had to go active support, whatever that means," Ron replied in his helmet.

"It means the suit got buggered, I need you to bring up my diagnostic screen so I can know what is wrong, hit these keys as I say them," Harry listed off a line of commands until his screen changed from the view of the rubble to display a view of the suit. "Wonderful," Harry groaned as the display faded after a moment and he felt a shake in the rubble. "Sirius, I need you to talk to me here, what's working?" he frowned as he used the suit's enhanced strength to wiggle and make a little room.

"Shields are shot, AK field is holding up, you need to get out of there now Harry," Sirius shot back to him. "It's a bloody setup, that building just exploded underneath you," he pointed out.

"I am aware of that," Harry rolled his eyes. "Ron, how many magical signatures are left out there? It will be on the right side of Sirius's screen, my helmet display is more or less shot," Harry explained.

"There's a red 4 and a green 12, that what you were looking for?" Ron replied.

"Yeah, unfortunately," Harry frowned, twisting his head, trying to get his half of a display to show him what was past the rubble. "Ron, I can't see for shit, what are the sensors showing past the rubble?" he asked.

"If I am doing this right, they're all over you Harry, if you come up, you'll be a sitting duck," Ron replied.

"Pads?" Harry asked as he brought up a weapons display.

"He's right, they're sifting through the rubble and they have more reinforcements showing up every minute," Sirius responded. "You need to get out of there Harry, you have maybe three feet of rubble before they get to you," Sirius told him.

"I can barely move, if I blast my way out it will drain the AK field even more," Harry frowned. "Okay, I have an idea, Ron, do exactly as I say," Harry ordered.

**-------------------------------------**

"Okay, I hit it Harry, the timer is showing 30 and counting down," Ron responded. "Mind telling me what I just did?"

"Not much, just timed all my grenades that I've been packing down by my feet to go off at once so I can use the blast to get out of the rubble and fly home," Harry laughed in the earpiece.

"You sure that's safe?" Ron asked as he watched the numbers tick down.

"Not at all, in fact it is probably a very bad idea," Harry admitted.

**---------------------------------------------**

Harry grimaced as the grenades went off and the blast wave shot him horizontally through the rubble until he was freed. He righted himself as he left the rubble and blasted into the sky quickly, taking stock of the situation. "Pads, is that a bloody tank?" he asked as his display lit up as the tank fired, knocking Harry in the chest with full force.

**----------------------------------------------**

"Bloody hell, initiate emergency retrieval protocol," Sirius said loudly as he popped up next to Ron. "Ron, gonna need your help when he gets here, come on," Sirius ordered and motioned Ron towards Harry's private medical area. "Engage emergency retrieval protocol," Sirius ordered as the air on an examination table shimmered and Harry popped into view.

"Harry, you okay there mate?" Ron asked as he took in the dented and charred armor, concentrating on the chunk of the Gryffindor suit the size of a football that was absent, allowing him to see the real Harry's black AK-suit underneath.

"Peachy, let's hurry and get me out of this," he groaned as several pieces of the suit began to automatically release and Sirius instructed Ron how to remove the ones that did not. "Sirius, how the hell did he get a bloody tank?" Harry frowned as he helped Ron work on taking the suit off.

"Best guess I have is from old KGB agents, it looked Russian from what I saw of it before your cameras cut out," Sirius frowned.

"Germany, KGB agents, is it a stretch here to say they are using people from Durmstrang?" Harry winced as he shrugged off the remains of the armor that was covering his chest.

"Sounds about right, I'll see if I can get any faces from the video you got before things went bad," Sirius nodded and disappeared.

"KGB? Really?" Ron asked as he kept removing metal from Harry.

"Well, they were rumored to have been experimenting on wizards during the 50s, one of the many things Binns didn't bother to tell us in History," Harry shrugged. "And with them being able to manipulate my machines and get around my bloody wards, they have to be well versed in combining magic and Muggle technology," Harry frowned.

"How bad is the suit?" Ron asked as he helped Harry remove the last bit of armor, besides a small armguard Harry kept on.

"Shot to shit is my best guess," Harry frowned as he fiddled with the armguard. "Power reserves are nearly gone, everything I have is diverted to the AK field keeping me alive," he eyed a small light up panel on his arm. "Suit itself is in bad shape, think I'm going to have to cannibalize the Harry disguise to get the Gryffindor working again," he froze as they heard the door open.

"What is going on here Harry?" Gabrielle asked as she took in Ron's wide eyes and Harry's scowl.

**A/N: Sorry to say, last time I let people vote on what I write next, lol. I am planning on 4-5 more chapters in this story maximum, unless I get struck by inspiration as I crank them out. Looking back, I should have done Super Soldier or Butcher's Bill before this, since frankly, they have far better plots and are easier to write. But anyway, I won't leave this story unfinished. I know how I plan on dealing with Harry's little problem, I know how the battles are going to take place, the only trouble is getting the time to write it, since this was the least liked of my story ideas.**

**Anyway, I will be trying to write more to get this done and get onto bigger and better things. Next up after Unified Theory is Super Soldier, which I am looking forward to a lot, and then I plan on doing Butcher's Bill as I do my Sweeny Todd spoof, to keep my mind properly screwed up. After that, who knows… I got some other x-over ideas, but not gonna bother until I finish the ones I have promised already.**


	13. Chapter 12: Secrets

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 12: Secrets**

"The damn dog needs to start locking doors, that's what is going on," Harry frowned as he got up and moved to close the door behind Gabrielle. After he locked the door he sat himself back on the exam table and scratched at his head.

Ron watched as Gabrielle tried to stare a hole in Harry's head and he ignored her. He moved out of his seat to try to leave the two of them alone as he noticed her shift her gaze to him. "If Harry will not tell me what is going on, maybe Hermione and I can make you tell us," she glared at him as Ron groaned and looked away.

"Go home Ron," Harry frowned at Gabrielle. "I'll take care of this," Harry ordered as he got up from his seat and walked towards his study.2

"You sure mate?" Ron bit his lip, watching his friend's slumped shoulders.

"Yeah, get home Ron, take care of your family," Harry looked back, smiling weakly before he disappeared into his study.

"Ron," Gabrielle stared at him.

"I don't know what you want me to say here Gabrielle," Ron looked away from her. "You're not stupid, so I won't bother making up a story," he added. "Go talk to Harry, I need to go home," he gave her a quick hug and ran out the door.

**---------------------------------------------**

"I should have known you wouldn't have trusted that suit to someone else," Gabrielle frowned after she and Harry sat in his study drinking from a fresh bottle of Firewhisky for a few minutes.

"You saw the power drain from the emergency recall and came down, how long have you been watching me?" Harry eyed her.

"Since I found you were keeping secrets from me," she glared back at him. "Are you out of your damn mind Harry?" she asked him.

"So I'm told," he smiled a bit. "I had the suit with the AK field already, it didn't take much to make a combat suit on the same power source, just in case I needed it," he shrugged.

"What are you wearing?" she asked as he fiddled with the armguard and its screen.

"This is the suit I have been in for the last few years," he looked down at the black suit. "The Gryffindor combat suit was the easy part to build," he looked away from the screen to her face. "Making a Harry suit that could fool my friends and family, that was the hard part," he shook his head before taking a drink.

"Who else knows?" she asked him.

"Sirius, Ron, Tony, and now you," Harry admitted. "This was a pet project, I never meant it to be needed like is now," he glared at the display.

"Let me see," Gabrielle frowned and moved to crouch by his seat, looking at the wrist panel. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized most of the figures and what they meant. "Harry," she rested her had on his arm and turned to look at him.

"I know," he looked away from her. "The stone won't be ready in time," he closed his eyes. "I've used too much power when going around as Gryffindor, it's advanced the curse," Harry gazed dumbly at his fireplace.

"We need to put you into stasis," she stopped when he shook his head.

"It's too advanced after today's fun," Harry grinned. "It will overtake me by the end of the year, the only thing left is to stop Draco," he watched Gabrielle's eyes water.

"What can I do to help?" she asked as she sniffed and looked up at Harry.

**----------------------------------------------**

"Your report please, Luna," Hermione sighed, interrupting Luna's questioning of Gabrielle. The three women were gathered in Hermione's office at the Ministry.

"Yes, Madam Minister," Luna smiled and began to read from the parchment she had with her. "As far as we can tell, from our contacts with the Unspeakables and other covert magical and Muggle governments, Draco and his people are definitely based in Eastern Germany or one of the old Soviet Republics in the area," she started explaining. "We have found a money trail showing how they got out of England with most of their money when you were made Minister and bribed their ways into new identities."

"How did we not notice the trail until just now?" Hermione asked as she chewed on the end of a quill.

"When we got the location that they ambushed Gryffindor at, we were able to track things back from there, they covered their tracks very well," Luna explained.

"Have the governments seized their assets?" Hermione frowned.

"No, they kept everything in cash and disappeared," Luna shook her head.

"I'll have all the Aurors keep a look out, how is the Gryffindor suit after the attack? Harry told me it was damaged badly," Hermione continued.

"The suit was in a bad way, Harry and I worked together tearing about some other projects to repair the suit," Gabrielle explained. "It will work, but we really can't send it into a situation like that again, he'll get killed," Gabrielle frowned.

"The pilot is okay?" Hermione asked.

"No worse for wear," Gabrielle replied.

"You saw him then?" Hermione looked hopeful.

"Sorry Hermione, secrecy charms," Gabrielle shrugged.

"Fine, we'll have the Aurors keep an eye out for Draco and his people, I assume Harry is doing the same?" Hermione grumbled.

"Sirius is going over satellite imagery daily, he'll find whatever there is to find," Gabrielle nodded. "The bigger problem we have now is with Harry, there were complications when we tried to fix the suit," Gabrielle frowned. "Part of his AK field was drained, allowing the curses to progress faster than anticipated," she paused. "He only has weeks left, the stone will not be ready in time," she looked downcast. "He's agreed to go into stasis after Christmas, if he lasts that long."

**---------------------------------------**

"Hey there Teddy," Harry smiled as he opened the portrait to the Gryffindor common room, laughing as Victoire and Teddy separated quickly on the couch. "Seriously kids, this is me here," he laughed and sat down between them laughing.

"It could have been Bill or one of her Uncles, they like to sneak around as much as you do," Teddy grumbled while Victoire laughed.

"He is still scared of my dad," she laughed, hugging Harry's arm.

"Ah yes, werewolves, very scary," Harry mocked them.

"Shut up Harry," Teddy frowned, looking away. "How'd you get in there anyway? I though Headmistress McGonagall had put up new wards to keep you from sneaking in again," he questioned.

"You know me, always finding ways to keep Minerva on her toes," Harry smiled. "I came to see what you wanted to do for Christmas Teddy," Harry laughed as a couple first years caught sight of him and ran in the opposite direction.

"Well, Bill and Fleur are renewing their vows, so Victoire was planning on staying here," Teddy bit his lip.

"What he means is my mom and dad are going to shag like bunnies and make me a little sister and since dad knows about me and Teddy now, he wants to keep me here where Moony can't sneak up to my room," she smiled widely.

"Ah yes, the staircases," Harry grinned. "You sneak up to his room instead then?" he watched her nod. "Good girl," he joked as Teddy blushed.

"Harry…" Teddy complained.

"All right, I was just kidding with you," Harry grinned. "You can stay here for Christmas, don't worry about it, I just wanted to see what you planned," he got up from the couch. "I better go find Minerva before one of the first years tells her they saw me here, she'll have my hide otherwise," he waved on his way out of the common room.

**-----------------------------------------**

"Come on Minerva, it will be fun!" Harry pleaded with the Headmistress in her office.

"Absolutely not Mr. Potter," she looked at her former student sternly.

"Now Minerva, the boy had his reasons for having Gabrielle steal our portraits, and it was nice for us to get out of this stuffy office for a while," Dumbledore's portrait smiled. "It was nice to get outside and get some fresh air," he added.

"Albus, you are dead, you can't breathe," Minerva rolled her eyes, feeling the headache building. "You continually have smuggled contraband into this school for half a decade. Every time you come here, I find booby traps and pranks for weeks afterwards. You are a disruptive influence on the students every time you come here," McGonagall rattled on listing reasons. "Why should I let you stay here over Christmas break?"

"Teddy will be here?" Harry ventured.

"Then have him come home."

"He won't leave Victoire here alone."

"Then have her go home too, your families are close."

"Bill won't let her, after he found out they've been shagging," Harry shrugged.

"You let them do that under your roof?" she stared dumbfounded at her former student.

"They started out in broom closets here," Harry watched her expression change to horrified. "Not to mention girls can still go up the boys staircases, and anyone with a broom could fly up the girls' staircase," he laughed as her face went pale.

"Just let the fool come," Snape's portrait chimed in. "Ms. Delacour will be accompanying him and keep him in line," he noted the annoyance in Harry's face. "And you can always make him guest lecture in return as a favor," he added snidely.

"I am going to use your frame for kindling and give the canvas to Haggrid to use as Hippogriff bedding," Harry stared daggers back at the potion master's portrait.


	14. Chapter 13: Professor Potter

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 13: Professor Potter**

"Minerva, ¾ of the things I say to them is going to go right over their heads," Harry complained at breakfast the following morning. "Hell, half the time my own people don't even get what I am doing," he continued before Gabrielle interrupted.

"It is a small price to pay to be here with Teddy over the holidays," she reminded him. "And you were able to explain some of the other things we did to Ron," she smirked. "If you can explain things simply enough to make my brother-in-law understand them, you will be fine with the children," she commented before going back to her own breakfast.

"Ron's different, he has a good grasp on…" Harry stopped when McGonagall chuckled. "Okay fine, he's as thick as they come and the only reason he got as high marks as he did was because of Hermione drilling things into his head," he admitted.

"I am sure you will do fine Harry, you did quite well in your fifth year when you did some teaching, if remember correctly," McGonagall smiled. "Collectively, your group got the highest OWL and NEWT scores we had seen in over thirty years," she added. "I don't expect you to make them geniuses Harry," she chuckled. "But seeing as you have revolutionized how magic is studied, it would be a good thing for the children to get a look in your head."

"Ah yes, corrupting the youth of England, teaching them pranks, how to sneak around the castle," Sirius smiled in his transparent ghost form. "I ever tell you how glad I am you let us come back here Minnie?" he joked with the Headmistress.

"I will remove you from this school if I need to Sirius," she gazed sternly at him. "I learned from Albus that fun is necessary for a proper learning environment, and sometimes turning a blind eye is the best course of action," she continued. "But if I catch you telling students where the secret passages are or sneaking your products in here, you will be removed," she threatened.

"I am hurt that you think I would try to undermine your authority like that Minerva," Sirius exaggerated a shocked look. "Besides, Teddy already knows all the passages," he added before floating away as fast as he could.

--------------------------------------

"I fail to see why you insisted that we be brought here for this," Snape frowned from his portrait where Harry had stuck it to the wall in the Great Hall.

"Well, since it was your snarky little comment that got me into this, you get to sit up here and put your two cents in while I lecture the kids," Harry rolled his eyes at the portrait of his former teacher. "Besides, if I didn't know any better, after the time you spent at my complex, I'd think you almost liked being around me, having an intellectual conversation every now and then," he chuckled.

"Clearly your impending demise has damaged your brain," Snape glared back at his former student.

"Now now Severus, let's not bring up unpleasantries," Dumbledore added from his own portrait, situated next to Snape's. "This will be an excellent chance to stimulate the children, to give them new ways of thinking about magic," Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

"He should be in stasis right now," Snape growled. "The fool can barely use magic now because all of his power is being diverted to the AK field generator," he complained. "He's running the risk of people finding out. If Draco knew how weak you were, he would attack you immediately Potter," Snape frowned.

"Aww, I didn't know you cared Snape," Harry laughed as he looked over his notes at the podium that the house elves had prepared for him. "You need to trust me on this one Snape, everything will be fine."

**-----------------------------------------**

Hours later Harry was chit chatting where the Head Table of the Great Hall normally was with McGonagall, Gabrielle, Sirius, Snape, and Dumbledore. The students began to trickle in and find their way to the rows of desks that the house elves had prepared. "I figured we'd start with a lecture on Potions and medicines today Minerva, since that is where I started when I made some of my discoveries," Harry explained as he spotted Teddy and Victoire and waved as they took a seat together.

"That will be fine Harry," McGonagall agreed, having ordered all afternoon classes cut short for the week so Harry could have an hour each day to lecture on different things. "Is there anything you want the rest of the staff and I to do during the lectures?" she asked.

"Not really…I'm sure I'll think of something though," he scratched his head. "I'm going to be winging most of it, figuring out what they want to know by what questions they all ask," he explained. "So if you or the others have any questions, you can feel free to jump in and ask me too," he shrugged as the last desks filled up and Filch pulled the doors closed. "Here goes nothing," he let out a breath and took his place behind the podium that was enchanted to act like a Sonorus charm while also amplifying any questions that were directed at it.

"Well now, good afternoon students," he greeted the crowd of young faces.

"Good afternoon Professor Potter!" they said back at him loudly.

Harry froze, his face burning up in a blush. He turned, hearing the laughter behind him from Sirius. "Very funny," he shook his head at Sirius. "I see you all know who I am and had a visit from an associate of mine," he rolled his eyes, spotting where Teddy was barely holding back a laugh. "Keep in mind, if I get called Professor again, I do own part of Weasley's Wizarding Wheeze and can make it harder for under-aged wizards and witches to get certain items," he smirked as he saw some of the first and second years taking him seriously.

"Now, on to today's topic for my lecture," he began, looking down at his notes. "Today we are going to be talking about how magic, genes, diseases, potions, etc., all tie in together," he continued. "Here at Hogwarts you are taught the magical side of potions and the healing arts, but no offense to the current faculty, you don't really have a clue how your potions and spells work, other than that they do work," he noticed some of the students' jaws drop.

"Now, that's not a bad thing," he continued. "Minister Weasley, Headmistress McGonagall, and I have all talked at various times, as to whether the curriculum of Hogwarts should include the actual physics of magic, and decided to leave it out of the curriculum for the most part," he added. "It takes years of study to learn how and why magic works and to be able to safely experiment on new spells and applications," he said seriously. "That is why it is so important that if you want to go into research, either with the Ministry, my company, Stark Enterprises, or someone else, you will need more schooling past Hogwarts, and that means working hard here on your OWLs and NEWTs," he snorted to himself, channeling Hermione.

"Now, back to healing magic and potions," he got back on track and started rambling about genetics, DNA, magic, and everything in between.

**--------------------------------------------**

"One more lecture, one more lecture, one more lecture," Harry repeated over and over again in his guest quarters, relaxing after dinner on Thursday. "Remind me to never get into teaching," he said out loud.

"Oh, I think you are doing quite well Harry," Dumbledore replied from the portrait over the fireplace.

"Are you following me?" Harry groaned.

"Yes, we are," Snape chimed in beside Dumbledore.

"How did McGonagall figure out how to let you travel between the frames? Last I heard the paintings had to be prepared for that when they were created, and I know for sure you couldn't leave when I had you at my place," he frowned.

"We had the mongrel teach her," Snape smirked at the boy.

"Severus, please," Dumbledore shook his head at the former spy. "We asked Sirius to teach Minerva so we could come and talk to you," Dumbledore explained. "Harry, I have seen your vital signs and the numbers from before you came to Hogwarts, I had Sirius get me a copy yesterday," the Headmaster continued.

"Great," Harry frowned, looking into his fireplace. "I assume you got the same results as I did then?" Harry got up from the couch and walked over to the small liquor cabinet he had Sirius bring in after Monday's lecture.

"Potter, if the numbers we have are accurate," Snape began as Harry pulled out a bottle of Firewhisky and poured himself a drink. "Left to progress naturally, the spell coursing within you will finish you off between Christmas and New Years," Snape ranted. "If you go into stasis now, you will succumb by the middle of February, given the best estimates we have," he added. "The stone will not be ready until early March," he finished as Harry calmly sipped from his glass.

"I believe Harry is aware of the situation Severus," Dumbledore said calmly, placing a hand on Snape's shoulder. "Spending Christmas here at Hogwarts with Teddy," Dumbledore smiled weakly. "You haven't told any of them have you?"

"Not even Pads," Harry shook his head. "Don't you go off telling anyone either, I don't want them to know," he sighed, taking a drink. "It's like you told me once Headmaster, death being the next great adventure and all," Harry smirked. "It feels good, being able to go out on your own terms," he laughed, settling down onto the couch.

"The stasis chamber could still work Potter, I'm sure we can rework it to boost the power and…" Snape ranted before Harry waved his hand, cutting him off.

"There is no stasis chamber," Harry admitted. "Well, there was, but I needed the parts for something else," he shrugged at the two shocked wizards. "Don't worry about it, I just want to spend Christmas with Teddy," he closed his eyes. "Then I'll deal with Draco," he nodded.

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

"Muggle machinery, weapons, armor, etc. are very different than magical weapons and spells," Harry spoke to the crowd for his last lecture. "Most Muggle weapons use projectiles, while spells are a form of energy," he explained. "Muggle body armor can stop some spells, as well as magical shields being able to stop some bullets and such," he continued. "They both have their own merits and Aurors and police have been working together and training to deal with both kinds of threats as they occur," he continued, spotting a seventh year raising his hand. "Yes, your question?"

"Which is more dangerous, magic or Muggle weapons?" the student asked.

"They're equally deadly and are parallel in their uses," he nodded. "Armor-wise we have dragon hide versus Kevlar, both are very effective against their own kind of damage, but less than stellar against the other," he explained. "Weapon-wise, a gun will break through a shield with enough shots, which is made easier by their rapid fire capabilities, and the killing curse will still kill anyone it hits," he paused. "Present company excluded," he rolled his eyes getting a laugh from the students.

"The best defense is being prepared and not having to fight, that is why the Aurors and police are very important," he continued. "If the Aurors had been at the strength they are now twenty years ago, hundreds of lives would have been saved in the war against Voldemort," he added. "It is not how much you know, or how many guns you have, it is about how you use them that makes them dangerous," he said seriously.

"Then why shouldn't we destroy the Muggles' weapons, to keep us safe?" a Hufflepuff stood and asked.

"On that thought, why shouldn't we surrender our wands, they are as dangerous as any gun, if not more," Harry replied coldly at the student.

"Because we are wizards, we are better than them," the boy's face grew red as he argued with Harry.

"We are no better or no worse than the Muggles, we are almost identical genetically," Harry frowned, sensing something was off about the boy.

"That is enough, take your seat Mr. O'Shay," McGonagall eyed the boy.

"Filthy mudblood lovers!" the 'Puff shouted and pulled out his wand. "Reducto!" he shouted and cast the spell at the podium.

Harry's eyes widened as he saw the spell coming and reacted instinctively. "Protego!" he shouted, pulling out his own wand. The reductor impacted the shield loudly before ricocheting up at the ceiling. The students near the boy pulled their own wands and stunned and bound him the second after he got the spell off.

Gabrielle and Sirius were focused on Harry though, as he slowly collapsed to the ground, his magical reserves exhausted from the single spell. As his head hit the floor, he heard the commotion in the Great Hall erupt all around him. "Harry!" he heard Teddy's voice the loudest as he smiled and passed out on the cold floor.

**A/N: 2 chappies left + and epilogue. Got a lil build up to the action, the action itself, and the aftermath.**


	15. Chapter 14: Merry Xmas

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 14: Merry Xmas**

He frowned at the weight on his chest and listened to the sounds around him. Snoring…breathing, what was that smell… 'Oh hell, I'm in the hospital wing,' Harry thought as he opened his eyes slowly. The room was hard to make out in the early morning light, he saw some shapes in the darkness before he recognized them. "Psst… Teddy," he whispered at the chair to his right.

"Harry?" the werewolf woke up, startling Victoire in his arms, leading to everyone else in the room waking up in a chain reaction. "Harry…you okay?" Teddy asked as he hugged his godfather tightly and everyone else woke up.

"Peachy," Harry smirked as he took in the faces. Hermione, Ron, Luna, Neville, Sirius, McGonagall, Gabrielle, even the bloody portrait of Snape and Dumbledore, they were all there, waiting. "So…what's up?" he joked as Hermione and Gabrielle stared daggers at him. "Ah, told them, have you?" he shifted his gaze to Sirius and the portrait of his former professors.

"We decided it was the best course of action, they were about to run scans discovering the truth regardless," Snape explained.

"Why didn't you tell me Harry?" Sirius sighed in his ghost form. "We could have put you in stasis, figured it out, we could have done something," he rambled.

"It's okay Pads," Harry shook his head. "If I can't figure it out in the last few years, I don't trust anyone else to do it without me," he struggled and sat up when Teddy and Gabrielle helped him. "A funny thing, you know?" he said to no one in particular. He rubbed his head when no one talked back to him. "Having a timetable on your own demise, gives you some perspective on life," he nodded at Dumbledore.

"Harry, the Ministry, there's got to be something we can do," Hermione frowned at her friend.

"Hermione, I have my fingers so deep in Ministry research, I know things before you do," Harry grinned. "Nothing was coming, I figured the whole Philosopher's Stone chase might give you all something to do, I know it won't work," he shook his head. "I ran the numbers after we came up with the idea, its okay," he added.

"Harry…" Ron frowned at him.

"S'okay, mate," Harry laughed. "I had planned on making it to your graduation Teddy, sorry," he looked down, unable to look at his godson.

"Harry…" Teddy collapsed onto the hospital bed, hugging his godfather.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Cell degeneration is imminent, he'll be critical within a week," Gabrielle frowned as she read the scanner in her hand as she examined Harry in Hogwarts hospital wing. "We need to get you out of here and into stasis," she glared at him.

"Ah, stasis," Harry muttered. "Living hell, if you will," he added, looking at Hermione and Gabrielle closely. "I think I'll take my chances here, thank you very much," he rolled over and tried to cover his head with his pillow.

"Sirius, prep the transporter, we're getting him out of here and to the base," Gabrielle ordered the phantasm who just popped into the hospital wing.

"Umm, there's a little problem there," Sirius frowned, looking at his godson. "He took the generator and put it in the Gryffindor suit," Sirius sighed. "That and everything he had about his stasis machines were falsified, so we have nothing to put him into stasis with, but that is beside the point," he frowned.

"Harry…why have you done this?" Hermione slumped to her chair, looking at her old friend. "We didn't get along that well because I was Minister, but…" she stopped when Harry started laughing.

"It's all right Hermione, we got along fine, it was fun messing with you," he joked. "I knew a while ago that the curse Riddle hit me with as killing me, it's been chewing through me for years," he explained. "And hell, I'm the smartest we had and I couldn't figure out a way to stop it," he shook his head. "Once I figured what was happening, I stopped using my time-turners because I wanted to see Teddy graduate, guess I screwed that up too," he coughed up some blood into his handkerchief.

"Harry, why didn't you tell us?" Hermione asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Decided to pull a Dumbledore, picking my own time and all," he joked. "Anything else?"

"When did you know Harry?" Gabrielle asked, slipping into a bit of her old accent.

"About a month before I broke up with you," he closed his eyes. "Didn't want to leave you a widow or something like that," he sighed. "Now if you all do not mind, I need to rest, I'll see you Christmas morning, Gryffindor tower," he rolled over and ignored them until they left.

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"Happy last Christmas Harry," Ron frowned as he woke his friend up in the hospital wing on the morning of the 25th.

"Bloody hell Ron, it's seven in the morning," Harry threw a pillow at his friend.

"Yeah well, you're going to die soon, so might as well spend that time awake," Ron shrugged. "Not like you bothered to tell us or anything, being your best friends and all," he jabbed.

"Jesus Christ Ron, I didn't want to bother your lives with something you could not fix," Harry frowned and grunted as he sat up. "Anything else you want to get off your chest, or you saving it all for when I'm getting my last rites read to me?" he glared at his old roommate.

"What happened with you and Ginny?" Ron asked the question he had been wondering for a while now.

"She didn't tell you?" Harry cocked his head. "She didn't want to settle down with me and Teddy, she had her career as a Quiddich player," Harry shrugged. "Figured she told the family that," he mumbled and swung his legs over the bed. "Wanna get me a robe mate, it's a bit of a walk down to the Gryffindor common room, don't want to catch a chill," he gestured at the skintight black anti-AK suit he was wearing as Ron rummaged around for a pair of robes.

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"I told you he makes a good Father Christmas," Harry poked at Sirius' ghost form as they watched Haggrid handing present out to everyone gathered in the Gryffindor common room. He smirked as he looked over the faces of McGonagall, Hermione, Ron, Rose, Sirius, Neville, Luna, a portrait of Dumbledore and Snape, Teddy, and Victoire, as Haggrid handed them all packages.

"Course you did Harry," Sirius rolled his eyes. "So, planning on joining me in the great hereafter anytime soon? It's kinda lonely," he poke at his godson.

"All in good time Sirius, we have a couple things left to do still," Harry grinned before coughing up some blood. "Bloody disgusting," he frowned as he wiped it away on one of his blankets. "What are you all looking at, get to opening," he gestured at them when they looked at him in concern.

McGonagall was the first to open her present, fingers shaking as she read the paper in her hands before jerking her head to look at Harry. "Mr. Potter, I cannot accept this," she shook her head, setting down the paper.

"The joys of knowing you are going to die, people lose all rights to return gifts," he leaned forward and handed the paper back to her. "A 10% stock share in Marauder International, to be used to fund the school, and to a lesser extent the Gryffindor Quiddich team," he smiled as she took the paper from his hands. "You can't give it back anyway, this is all part of my will, so we're getting that out of the way," he shrugged. "Go ahead, someone else open," he chuckled at their discomfort.

They all turned and watched as Luna hummed and carefully pulled apart the wrapping paper as she opened her present. "Hmmm," she mumbled as she looked at what Harry had given her. "Is this…" she stuttered…unable to speak.

"Yes, released you from bits of your vow, you can go publish proof about the Snoracks, Wizbangs, and whatever the hell else it is you found when working for me," Harry laughed as the woman turned and grabbed Neville in a death grip crying.

"Mind filling me in Harry?" Neville nodded at his own envelope as he tried to comfort Luna.

"Same thing, property rights over all you found out when working for me," he explained.

"Thanks mate," he nodded and tried to comfort Luna.

"Oh, Haggrid, I didn't have time to get it made up, so you don't have a fancy gift like the rest of them," Harry reached out as the large man was trying to leave.

"Ya din't have ta get me nuthin 'arry," he looked down at his feet.

"Weekends and summers, got a spot at Marauder International for you, in the exotic species division," he gasped as the large man hugged him and started bawling. "It's okay Haggrid," he reassured the man as he was finally let down. "It's okay old friend," he smirked. "Go ahead Ron," he motioned at his friend, who had been staring at the four foot long box in front of him. "It won't bite," he added as Ron and Rose pulled the packaging apart.

"Holy shit!" Rose squeaked as she caught a look at the present.

"Language!" Hermione frowned at her, taking a look at the broomstick in the box.

"Harry…I can't…this is…" Ron stuttered as Rose gripped his arm tightly and started hopping around in her seat.

"It's just a broom Ron," Hermione eyed Harry who grinned at her maniacally. "Or not…what did he do to it?" she sighed and slumped down in her seat.

"It's a very special broom Hermione," Sirius laughed as Ron just stared at it. "It's the owner's broom for the Cannons," he watched as Hermione turned to kill Harry.

"Can't take it back, deathbed and all," Harry grinned as Ron started crying before his wife and daughter comforted him. "One left to go," he looked over at Teddy and Victoire.

Teddy felt the small box in his hands, shaking his head as the finality of all the gifts being given reached him. "Screw this," he scowled and threw it on the ground.

"Teddy?" Victoire stood up to stop him.

"I'm not doing this now," he frowned and stormed out of the hospital wing.

"Well, that was fun," Harry grunted as he got up from his bed and picked up the gift from the floor. "Victoire, give me a hand, let's go get him before he does something stupid," he grimaced as he shuffled to the doorway before she helped him. "Take it easy," he waved Ron away. "Gotta do this alone," he admitted as they left the hospital wing.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Teddy slumped at the steps at the entrance to the school, shaking his head. "Damn it Harry," he swore as he shook his head and looked into the snow blankly. "Why now…" he frowned and got up and kicked at the snow and ice around the steps.

"The little half breed is angry," a voice interrupted him from the other side of the Hogwart's gates as they groaned and tore off the hinges.

"Malfoy," Teddy growled and pulled his wand on the wizard, noticing the dozen men backing the older wizard up. "Shouldn't you be hiding from Gryffindor and the Ministry?" he taunted before Malfoy shot a silent pain curse at him.

"Mind your tongue boy, a Malfoy hides from no one," Draco sneered as he moved to kick the wand from Teddy's hand. "Where's your bravery now?" he laughed.

"That is enough Draco," Harry frowned as he pushed Victoire out of sight and walked toward the main gate. "It's me you want, let the boy go," he raised his hands and lowered his wand to the ground. "Just me and you Draco, no need to hurt anyone else," he continued.

"I don't just want you Potter, I want Gryffindor," Draco glared at Harry before pointing his wand at Teddy. "You get him out here now, and let me see the face under the metal, or I'll kill the boy," Draco smirked, having the upper hand.

**A/N: Yeah, the crapilogue had Ron/Herm having another kid, but, I am taking creative license. Be happy I am finishing this story, RL has been kicking my ass. One chapter to go! (Canceled the epilogue until I do a sequel)**


	16. Chapter 15: Burnout

**Unified Theory**

**Chapter 15: Burn Out**

"Draco, you can have me, just let Teddy go," Harry held out his hands and walked slowly toward the blonde. He watched the mercenaries backing up Draco carefully, a few had wands and he thought he recognized them as Slytherins, but eight of them had machine guns, rocket launchers, and other Muggle weapons. "Gryffindor is on the way, just let Teddy go, please," he glared at Draco.

"I think I'll wait," Draco snorted. "The only thing keeping you from attacking me right now is the boy," he smirked and pressed the wand tip against Teddy's throat. "That is, if you could attack me," Draco taunted. "Seems you are bit under the weather, eh Potter?" Draco sneered. "Ah, there he is," Draco watched as Gryffindor landed next to Harry.

"Let the boy go," Gryffindor's metallic voice spoke.

"Ah, and let you open fire on us, brilliant idea," Draco shook his head. "You know, I think I owe Goyle some money," Draco looked at Gryffindor. "I figured it was you in the suit Potter," Draco frowned. "I figured the rest of the time you were creating illusions of yourself when both of you needed to be in the same places," Draco shrugged.

"Seems overly complex don't you think," Gryffindor flexed his hands, wanting to strangle Draco.

"This is Potter here, he's all about complex little plans," Draco sneered. "Now Gryffindor, off with the suit, or the kid dies," he ordered.

"I want a wizard's oath that you will let him go," Gryffindor crossed his arms over his chest.

"Fine, I swear on my life and magic that once you take that suit off, I will let the boy go," Draco grinned as the oath took effect. "Now off with it," he ordered and watched the suit carefully as Gryffindor raised his head and retracted the faceplate, showing the glowing blue ghost underneath. "Black?" Draco spat as the suit began to fall to the ground as the automatic releases engaged, leaving Sirius' ghost standing there in a pile of metal.

"Yeah, me," Sirius glared at his nephew. "Let Teddy go," he ordered.

"Fine," Draco shrugged and pushed Teddy toward Harry.

Harry grabbed Teddy in a hug, never taking his eyes off Draco. "Get to the castle, get the Aurors," he told Teddy.

"I'm not leaving you alone with them Harry," Teddy shook his head.

"Teddy," Harry looked into the boy's eyes. "Go get the Aurors, please," he commanded as a slight glow enveloped Teddy. "I'm sorry Teddy," he patted the boy on the back as he ran off toward the school.

"Compulsion charm Potter?" Draco smirked as Harry glared at him.

"He would have wanted to do something stupid like stay here and help me, stupid Gryffindor bravery and all," Harry taunted Draco. "What is it you want Malfoy?" Harry stalled for time.

"I want my world back, the one you took away, bringing us and the Muggles together," Draco glared at him. "The only way to do that is to make them fear us again," he rambled. "We're superior to them Potter, it's time they are reminded," he grinned. "I'm starting a war Harry, Muggle weapons attacking wizards, and AKing any Muggle I see," he continued. "All out war until both sides have no choice but to go back to the way it was before you ruined everything," he explained.

"You're out of your mind Draco," Harry shook his head. "The genie is out of the bottle, you can't out it back in, people won't let you," he frowned. "Give this up Draco, it's not going to end well," he tried to reason.

"That a threat Potter?" Draco laughed, reminding Harry of Bellatrix. "You're a bit out-numbered here Potter, Black is out of the suit, what can you do?" Draco laughed.

"I can stop you," Harry said calmly.

Draco stopped his laughing and narrowed his eyes at Harry. "One thing I learned from the Dark Lord and my father, is to take out threats quickly and not toy with them," Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Harry. "Reducto!" he fired the curse at Harry's head, laughing as the body crumpled to the ground. "See, I learned, don't bother with the AK on you, sometimes a messy death is the way to go," Draco taunted.

His face grew pale and his laughter stopped as Harry's body got up from the ground. "What the…" he stammered and shuffled a few steps back. "Black!" he growled when he spotted where the spell had hit 'Potter' in the head, now an area of jagged metal, revealing the telltale glow of a ghost underneath it. "Potter!" he whirled to where Sirius' ghost was standing calmly by the armor.

"Got it in one," the ghost spoke in Harry's voice and flickered, revealing Harry under the hologram. "Accio!" he shouted at the pile of metal and was encased in the Gryffindor suit a second later. "Never underestimate sleight of hand Draco," Harry glared at his foe as the faceplate slid down.

"Kill him!" Draco ordered the mercenaries as he started firing curses at Harry. "Avada Kedavra!" he blasted Harry back with the green light and ducked back behind his mercenaries to regroup.

"Gimme some numbers here Sirius," Harry ordered as he felt the shields weakening from the curses and bullets hitting it.

"Working on it," Sirius replied, having abandoned the 'Harry suit' a moment ago and transported himself to the Godric's Hollow to monitor Harry's systems. "Not good kid," he frowned as Harry fired back with a stunner, taking down one of the mercenaries. "Power levels are bad, you maybe have fifteen minutes, unless you can talk Malfoy into letting you get the backup power cells out of the Harry suit," Sirius frowned. "Burning spells is going to deplete that power even faster, you need to dodge and hold them off until the Aurors arrive," Sirius explained.

"So the Aurors can come and get in a fight with the Muggle mercenaries and help kick start Malfoy's war," Harry frowned inside the suit and shot another stunner, catching one of the wizards in the face. "I can't let him get away this time Sirius," Harry said darkly.

"Aurors will be there in five minutes Harry, just keep their attention," Sirius informed Harry as he was scanning the magical communication channels.

Harry grunted as he took a hit from a small rocket, stumbling to the ground for a moment before the attackers doubled their fire on him. "I got an idea Sirius, just do me a favor," Harry asked as he flew out of the way of another rocket and blasted at the ground by the feet of the mercenaries, trying to locate Draco.

"Whatever you want Harry, just don't go doing something stupid out there," Sirius replied nervously.

"Sorry Pads, stupid is my middle name, sorry about all this," Harry joked. "Code: Green, transfer all suit controls to onboard systems," he spoke into the helmet as Sirius shouted but was cut off. "There we go, much better now," he looked over the power levels as they came up on the sides of his field of vision. "Sorry Pads, you would have tried to stop me," he transmitted back to base. "Divert all power from communications, long range sensors, shields, inertial dampening, and the AK field to blasters and flight engines," he ordered as the computer carried out his commands and he saw the power levels adjust. "It'll have to do," he shrugged and turned his flight path back to the attackers.

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Teddy and Victoire ran into the castle in their faster wolf forms, trying to find anyone. They were met halfway to the hospital wing by McGonagall and the others who were reacting to something tripping the wards a minute before. "Malfoy's attacking Harry and Gryffindor!" Teddy explained as he changed back to human and kept running with the frantic group.

"Teddy, look!" Victoire shouted and pointed out the window. The group gathered around the windows, taking a look as Gryffindor dodged attacks and fired back when given the chance. "Is that Harry?" she pointed at the still form on the ground.

"No, it's our Harry suit," Sirius frowned as he reappeared in the castle. "Malfoy tripped the wards I put up, so we played the old switcheroo to buy some time," Sirius explained as he saw Harry turn in his flight pattern and start dive-bombing the attackers.

"Harry suit?" Hermione asked as she watched Gryffindor pick up two of the Muggle mercenaries and hurl them into the lake, taking several direct hits from spells. "It's a suit within a suit…" she realized suddenly. "You idiots double layered shrinking charms to put Harry and his AK suit into the Gryffindor suit and have been using your hard light projections to keep it secret," she pointed angrily at Sirius.

"Don't lecture the dead Hermione, we don't take kindly," Sirius shouted back. "Harry locked me out of the controls on the suits, his power levels are near nothing and the only damn thing that can explain how he is still flying out there is that he cut the power to his life support to try to take out Malfoy and the others!" Sirius glared at her and looked out the window to see another pair of the mercenaries go down from stunners by Harry, leaving a pair of wizards and three Muggles left that he could see.

"He's going to die out there…" Teddy realized as he broke through the last of the charm that was placed on him earlier.

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"Avada Kedavra!" Malfoy shouted, scoring a hit that sent Harry hurtling to the ground loudly. "Grenades!" he ordered the Muggles who threw the objects at the downed flier. There was a series of loud explosions and silence as the dust cleared. "Are you dead yet Potter?" Malfoy shouted into the wreckage.

"Stupefy!" the other wizard turned and blasted one of the Muggles to the ground before being bound by Malfoy.

"Imperius curse Potter? You'll have to do better than that!" Malfoy taunted. Suddenly Harry flew out of the dust like a cannonball grabbing the two remaining Muggles and disappearing into the forest before a loud explosion and fireball erupted.

"That good enough?" Harry replied as the dust finally settled as Malfoy spun back around to face him.

"No suit any more Potter," Draco sneered.

"It was out of power anyway," Harry shrugged and pulled his wand from his pocket.

"You're going to duel me Potter?" Malfoy laughed at him. "You can't even cast a spell I bet," he watched as Harry coughed violently, spewing blood onto the grass. "Give me your best shot Potter," he spread his arms out to make himself a bigger target.

"Do you have any idea how annoying it is to be the smartest person you know?" Harry mused as he looked at his wand. "I mean, having to explain how to make spell generators to Muggles, how to DNA and genetics work to wizards, and dealing with all the misconceptions from both sides, it's bloody annoying," Harry ran his hand over his wand, feeling the cool wood.

"That and always have to explain my crazier ideas to blank stares, it's a pain in the ass," he joked, looking up at Malfoy. "You know, since the war ended, and the AKs Riddle hit me with were eating me away, I've had a theory, but never really had the chance to put it into effect," he continued.

"You are boring me Potter, time to die," Draco raised his wand and prepared to cast a spell.

"Just humor me a little longer Malfoy," Harry eyed the other wizard. "I've felt the AKs eating away at me, eating away at my magic all these years. We tried getting rid of it every way we could, finally had to contain it with an energy field," he licked his lips. "The curse feeds on a person's magic, that's why I never could bring myself to try this before," he stared back at Malfoy.

"Try what?" Malfoy frowned.

"Giving it someone else to feed on, Avada Kedavra!" he raised his wand and shot the green light at the surprised Malfoy, before collapsing himself.

**----------------------------------**

He opened his eyes to glaring whiteness for the second time in recent memory. "Remind me never to do that again," he moaned as he tried to gather his senses.

"Harry!" Teddy gripped him in a tight hug. "You're okay," he said quietly as he hugged his godfather.

"What happened?" Harry asked as he patted Teddy on the back.

"Was hoping you could tell us," Sirius asked. "You were half dead when we found you."

Harry blinked away the light, finally recognizing he was back in his room at Godric's Hollow. "Malfoy?" he asked as Teddy gave him some water to drink.

"He was all dead, now spill it," Sirius ordered.

"Well, I ditched the suit and programmed it to take out the last of the mercenaries before its power core went critical," Harry began. "Then it was just me and Malfoy and all I had was my wand," Harry noticed it laying on his nightstand. "I went back to one of our first ideas on how to fix it, cast the spell myself, give the power an outlet, give it another source of magic to feed on," he lowered his eyes. "First time I've ever cast that spell on a person, you know," he frowned.

"The Ministry recovered the mercenaries, Malfoy was the only one that died," Sirius confirmed. "We ran some scans on you when we got you back in the school and when we got you back here," Sirius explained.

"And?" Harry stretched his sore muscles.

"Besides the magical exhaustion that has kept you out of it for a week, you're fine," Sirius smiled.

Harry nodded and relaxed under the covers. "So when can I get back to work?" he joked.

"Well, you need to talk to your bosses," Sirius chuckled. "You did give the company away to Teddy, Gabrielle, and the others over Christmas," Sirius smirked. "That and the Minister is dying to have words with you after everything she saw at Hogwarts. Not to mention Gabrielle is going to do unspeakable things to you once we tell her you are awake," he added.

"Welcome back Harry," Teddy laughed at his godfather.

"Remind me to stay dead next time," Harry shook his head at Teddy. "And don't get too used to being my boss, read the papers I gave you for Christmas," he smirked at Teddy. "You lot don't own it until I'm pushing up daisies," he chuckled when he realized Teddy didn't know that.

"Plan for every eventuality, right Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Pays to be the smartest one in the room," Harry smirked at Sirius before going white. "Don't you dare," he struggled to get up from the bed to stop the ghost.

"You know I have to," Sirius laughed as he disappeared into the walls to send immediate word to Hermione and Gabrielle that he was awake.

"I am going to kill him," Harry collapsed back to the bed with the beginnings of a headache.

"Be nice Harry, otherwise I might dock your pay," Teddy laughed.

"You don't own the bloody company yet," Harry frowned and grabbed his wand. "Now help me get out of here before Pads talks to Hermione and Gabrielle," he pushed back his sheets and got up. "As much as I love near death experiences, I think I have had enough, so avoiding those two seems like the best plan," he laughed and grabbed some clothes before disapparating with Teddy.

**A/N: Done. I am probably going to rewrite this after Super Soldier, Green Dawn, and Butcher's Bill. Word of advice to other authors, write what you want, don't let people vote on what story you do next, lol. I am aware this is not the quality of my usual work, you can see how I had the idea of the story, so the beginning chapters are a lot better, but my heart just wasn't in it for a while (hence the sloooooow updates). But fear not, the new docket of crap to write is Super Soldier and Green Dawn concurrently, then gonna do Butcher's Bill, then see if I want to revisit and rewrite this.**

**Don't expect more than 1 update per week really, work has been kicking my ass. But I am back and ready to rock and roll. When I do the rewrite, I will delete this copy and post what I hope will be a better version. Stay tuned, check profile for all my stories, and go check out Super Soldier and Green Dawn for some fun.**


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